Human rights activists say abductions and killings rampant

The bodies were found in a marshy land by police on information given by a person in the area.

The police say that they suspect these men may have been killed elsewhere and dumped there.

The chief photographer attached to the AFP in Colombo Lakruwan Wanniarachchi who visited the site said the men were shot in the head, had their hands tied behind their backs and were blindfolded.

"Most of them could be youth; and one person was probably middle aged", Lakruwan said.

As no one from the area has come forward to identify the bodies, police said, the men are not from the Kandana area itself, police said.