A report by Finnish forensic experts has stated that they found traces of human remains – minimum one male individual – from among the samples they took from Shivapuri to Finland lab for further tests a year ago.

The samples were taken from Alle area in Shivapuri forest where the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) had initiated investigation after receiving complaints that the site could have been a burial place for some of the disappeared persons.

“The tests in Finland have confirmed there were human remains – at least of one male – from among the samples,” said NHRC member and spokesperson Gauri Pradhan.

“However, the report rules out the possibility that there could be mass grave in that area,” he said.

Pradhan said NHRC will now initiate further investigation to find out if the remains belonged to any of the 43 people said to have been disappeared from Bhairabnath and Yuddha Bhairab battalion of Nepali Army (NA) and whose whereabouts are still unknown.

“We have submitted a technical report. From among six samples, we could successfully extract a DNA from one,” said professor Helena Ranta of University of Helsinki who along with Professor Pekka Saukko of University of Turku had conducted tests in modern facilities. nepalnews.com sd Dec 17 08