Feb 09, Colombo: Sri Lanka's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has made a request to Matale Magistrate to issue an order preventing any constructions near the site of the mass grave found recently in the Matale Hospital premises.

Accordingly, Matale Additional District Judge, Chathurika de Silva has issued an order to halt construction activities around the grave site until the excavation of human remains is finished.

The excavations, carried on an order by the Magistrate under the supervision of Consultant Judicial Medical Officer Dr. Ajith Jayasena, continued until Thursday (07).

The human remains of 142 people have been found so far since the excavation in the Matale hospital premises commenced on November 23rd after construction workers digging the area discovered them.

The remains have been sent for carbon dating to ascertain the era of the grave. Authorities say it will take some time to identify the remains and no conclusions can be drawn until an expert team had finished its work.

Sri Lanka's Marxist party Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) believes the skeletal remains found at the site belonged to the Marxist youth agitated against the government during the 1988-89 insurrection when thousands of youth were killed by authorities.