BATTAMBANG: Residents found a skeleton with its hands tied behind its back in Chhoung Svay cave in Ta Kream commune, Banan district in Battambang province, causing great surprise. According to the conclusion of experts who came to investigate the remains on Sunday, 20 February, the state of decay evident on the skeleton likely dates it back to the Pol Pot era.

Banan district authorities report that at 9 o'clock on Saturday, 19 February, two people (29-year-old Ruom Vutha and 34-year-old Boeun Nal) from Ta Nen village, Ta Krom commune, Banan district in Battambang province, found the skeletal remains while searching for bats in a cave in Chhoung Svay village. After authorities were notified of the skeleton, the Technical and Scientific Office of the Battambang Provincial Police, in cooperation with the Inspector General and the Post Police, went to the scene to investigate on Sunday. The police confirmed that the cave the two villagers went to find the bat was about 20 meters deep.

Banan District Police Inspector, Panh Vanny, confirmed that after examining the condition of the bones, they have concluded that skeleton belonged to a man around 50 years old, who had died with his hands tied behind his back with a red nylon rope while wearing a gray long-sleeved shirt and balck trousers. Authorities also report finding old-fashioned tobacco leaves in the pockets of the shirt.

Inspector Panh Vanny confirmed that the bones were in a somewhat fragile state, and presumably dates back to the Khmer Rouge era, and the person was likely killed during the excavation at Kamping Puoy Dam because the location the skeleton was found is close to Kamping Puoy Dam. He further stated that after examining the skeleton, authorities handed the remains over to the abbot of Dambok Khpos pagoda in Ta Nen commune to prepare the storage of the remains in a traditional jar.