Rs 3L currency notes stuffed in pillow burnt along with body of nonagenarian

In a bizarre incident, currency notes worth Rs 3 lakh stuffed in a pillow were reduced to ashes along with the body of a nonagenarian during his cremation today leaving everybody present at the crematorium surprised.

A high-velocity wind started blowing minutes after the body of Dalbir Singh (96) had been consigned to the flames. The bedding, pillow and some other articles being used by him in his lifetime too were set ablaze with his mortal remains.

Dalbir was a farmer of Paniyar village. His only son, who lit the pyre, is a government employee.

Once the pyre was lit, relatives circumambulated it reciting hymns from holy scriptures with reverence. Suddenly, a relative noticed that a bundle of Rs 50,000, comprising Rs 500 denomination notes, fell on the ground from his pillow. This stunned everybody and word spread that the cremation may be put on hold. Everybody spoke but nobody made a move. This meant the rituals went on while the pillow, and with it the money, kept on burning.

The family said Dalbir had a substantial amount of money in his bank account. His kin remained oblivious to the fact that Dalbir, without taking them into confidence, had sewn six wads of bundles of Rs 50,000 each into his pillow. Some relatives tried to salvage whatever was left in the cushion after the wad fell out. They did not find any success leaving everybody in a state of complete shock after Rs 3 lakh was burnt. Many could be seen discussing that the deceased was not on good terms with his family following which he had hidden the money from them. However, there were others who claimed that stuffing currency notes into quilts, beddings and pillows to save money for a rainy day was a common tradition

in the area.