Skeletal remains suspected to be of Venerable Bambaragala Abayawansa Thera, who had been missing for several months from the Debaragala Forest Hermitage, were found in a dense forest area approximately two kilometers from the monastery grounds.

A group of villagers searching for honey in the jungle have spotted the remains and alerted the Kappeetiyawa Arana Vihara.

Following notification from the temple, Kuchchaveli Police conducted an inspection on July 4 and located the remains at the base of a tree.

Police have identified the remains as those of the missing monk based on the discovery of his pair of spectacles, medicines, and fragments of his robe at the site.

The monk previously served as a Western Medical Officer and held the position of District Medical Officer at the Salawa Hospital in Kosgama before entering monastic life.

The hermitage where the monk resided is located in a forest densly populated with wild animals, and reportedly he has disappeared while walking alone through the woods.

Although the Army and the Police Special Task Force conducted search operations for over a month following his disappearance, those efforts were eventually suspended due to lack of evidence.

Trincomalee Acting Magistrate A.S.M. Sahir visited the site to conduct an inspection and directed police to submit a report.