Skeletons excavated at Amrita. Picture by Surajit Roy

Malda, Feb. 28: The district administration today told a team of researchers from Visva-Bharati University to stop excavation at an archaeological site in Amrita, around 10km from here.

District magistrate Chittaranjan Das said the team of excavators had been told to follow all government norms before taking up further work.

The digging has already exposed a number of human skeletons and bits and pieces of pottery, possibly dating back to the eighth century.

The move comes after the district heritage committee raised objections to the manner in which the team was going about its work. The committee’s convener, Pradyut Ghosh, had written to the district magistrate, alleging that artefacts were being taken away from the spot.

“The team has not submitted any list to the district administration describing the artefacts it has unearthed. The excavators are taking away everything,” Ghosh had alleged.

Following the complaint, the district magistrate had ordered an inquiry into the state of affairs at Amrita.

Sadhan Deb, the curator of the district museum, which is under the state archaeological department, conducted the inquiry. The district magistrate gave the order stopping the excavation soon after receiving the report.

The leader of the Visva-Bharati team, Moloy Kumar Sain, said they had permission from the Centre. “However, since the district administration has raised objections, we are stopping the work for now,” he said.

“We have made very important finds dating back to the era of the Pala and Sena kings and the Sultans of Bengal,” Sain said. The Palas ruled the region more than 1,000 years ago.

The team-leader added that they had discovered the remains of a human settlement spread over 150 square miles.

Visva-Bharati vice-chancellor Rajat Kanta Ray visited the excavation site today.

While the excavators did not want to comment on his visit, additional district magistrate Purnachandra Sheet said Ray did not meet any officials of the district administration. “I have heard that he visited the site at Amrita,” Sheet said.

Sources in the district administration said Ray had arrived by Gour Express in the morning and the administration had made security arrangements for him. He left in the afternoon by the Kanchenjunga Express.