Unclaimed Treasures: The Story of Civilian Jewellery

A significant amount of gold jewellery from Sri Lanka's civil war era is currently the subject of investigation after being handed to the police. These items were previously held by the military following the 2009 fall of the LTTE's campaign. The authorities are now working to return them to rightful owners.

In a revealing development, a Sri Lankan court was informed that a vast collection of gold jewellery, taken into military custody after the LTTE's defeat in 2009, has now been transferred to police authorities. These civilian possessions were initially seized during the heated conflict for a Tamil homeland.

The long-standing military campaign led by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam aimed to establish a separate Tamil state in the nation's north and east. After a tumultuous 30-year struggle, the campaign dissolved in 2009 following the demise of LTTE leader V. Prabhakaran.

The police's Criminal Investigation Department is currently investigating around 10,000 jewellery items, handed over officially on May 2. This collection is set to be evaluated by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka to facilitate their return to the rightful owners.

(With inputs from agencies.)