Explained: Why people are digging up graves in Bihar's Purnia

Locals from Purnia district in Bihar have reported several instances of digging of British graves across different cemeteries in the city.

According to a report by Hindustan Times, out of 250 graves across four cemeteries, about 200 have been vandalised.

Why are people digging up graves in Purnia?

As per the report, more than 200 British people who were posted in the city in different capacities died there between 1770 and 1947.

After it became a full-fledged district in February, 1770, many Britishers started settling in Purnia. Few months ago, rumours spread that valuable items were buried in the graves of British officials and their family members that has resulted in the desecration of many such graves.

Even though police have promised an investigation into the incidents of gravedigging, so far there hasn’t been any reports of valuable items being found in the graves.

“More than as 200 British people including many eminent persons were buried in four cemeteries two each for Catholic and Protestant…,” researcher and professor at Purnia University Naresh Kumar Srivastava said, as reported by Hindustan Times.

“Dr David Picachy, the first civil surgeon of Purnia, was among them,” Srivasatava said.

Station house officer (SHO) of Khazanchi Hat police station Anil Kumar Singh denied getting any complaint regarding the vandalism.

“No one has ever lodged any complaint,” he said. “The police will look into the matter on priority,” he said.

According to a report by Gulf News, Srivastava said that it is a local belief that when the British people died, their family buried all their ornaments with them along with other items of luxury.

A person responsible for looking after one of the cemeteries said that though occasional incidents of vandalism at the cemetery were reported, there has been a sudden spurt in these incidents in the last few months.

Among the more famous residents of Purnia was zamindar Alexander Forbes after whose name Forbesganj town, which is now in Araria, was established in old Purnia district.Forbes and his wife Diana died of malaria in 1890. They are buried in Purnia. With inputs from agencies

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