Human remains in Henan well spark martyr speculation

Nearly 100 remains found in a dried well in Xiangcheng county of Xuchang, Henan province, stirred discussions on domestic social media on Monday, with some suggesting these remains may belong to martyrs.

Efforts to verify the identities and backgrounds to determine any connection to the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) are underway, Shao Shengjie, an official from Xuchang's veteran affairs bureau, told cnr.com on Tuesday.

"Identifying martyrs involves a series of legal procedures," Shao explained, saying that the bureau has directed local departments to secure the site, establish a specialized team and commence DNA testing and historical document verification to prevent premature conclusions.

Previously, ZMG News, a domestic news outlet, reported that among the discovered remains, multiple skulls exhibited signs of bullet wounds, with noticeable fractures in the legs and other parts.

Some remains have been sent to the laboratory at Zhengzhou University for bone analysis and skull reconstruction to recreate their appearances before death and aid in confirming identities and locating relatives, according to the news outlet.