Eight people have been arrested in Bharathipuram, Kilinochchi, while allegedly carrying out excavations in search of archaeological artefacts, police said.
The suspects were taken into custody during a raid conducted on information received by the Kilinochchi Police.
Suspects travelled from across the country
The eight are aged between 32 and 58. Police said they are residents of Mundalama, Ukuwela, Dummalasuriya, Piliyandala, Jaffna, Madampe and Keselwatta — meaning all but one had travelled to the Northern Province from elsewhere in the island, with home towns spread across the Puttalam, Matale, Colombo and Gampaha areas.
The Kilinochchi Police are conducting further investigations. Police did not say what, if anything, was recovered at the site, and no court appearance had been reported at the time of filing.
Context
Unauthorised digging for antiquities is an offence under Sri Lanka’s Antiquities Ordinance, which vests control of archaeological sites and buried objects in the Department of Archaeology and requires a permit for excavation.
Illicit treasure hunting is a recurring problem at heritage and former conflict-zone sites, and organised groups travelling from other districts to dig at northern locations have featured in earlier prosecutions. Ada Derana did not report which site or period the group was allegedly targeting.
