Thieves decamp with girders, silver vessel from cremation ground in Ludhiana

Thieves took away heavy iron girders used for cremation pyres along with other items from a temple located inside the cremation ground on Sunday night.

The suspects, four in number, were captured on CCTV cameras installed at the Machhiwara Sahib cremation ground. They were wearing black undergarments and masks on their faces while carrying out the theft.

As per Nand Kishore, president of the Durga Shakti Committee, the suspects entered the cremation ground and uprooted heavy iron girders weighing around 150 kg that were used to keep bodies while prerforming the last rites. They also stole a brass Sheshnag idol and a silver vessel.

He said the suspects even tried to steal the battery of a vehicle, used to ferry bodies to the cremation ground but failed.

Committee members said the thieves had earlier also targeted the temple and stolen brass taps from there.

The police suspect that the thieves came in a vehicle,  and took away iron girders and other items in it. Machhiwara SHO Pavittar Singh said a complaint was registered and a probe launched.