2 held for stealing coins from historic well

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, November 20

Around six months after theft of coins from the historic Jallianwala Bagh well, thieves struck again and stole coins to the tune of Rs 10,000 from the well.

However, the accused were arrested by the police today. They were identified as Gurtej Singh alias Ashu of Khajwah village in Uttar Pradesh and Bhupinder Singh of New Shaheed Udham Singh Nagar on the Sultanwind road here.

They stole the coins from the well on the intervening night of November 18-19. SK Mukarji, secretary, Jallianwala Bagh Memorial Trust, had lodged a complaint with the police in this regard. A case under Sections 457 and 380, IPC, was registered with the Division C police station here.

Attar Singh, the investigating officer, said the police arrested the duo from near Gian Ashram School near the Sakatari bagh here. They were carrying the money in a sack and were going to exchange it with cash. During counting the coins, they were found worth Rs 10,121 in total. The accused were sent to judicial remand.

The well in the historic Jallianwala Bagh is a major centre of attraction for tourists, as a number of local residents had jumped into the well to escape from the gunfire ordered by General O’dyre. The tourists throw money, especially coins, through the iron mesh grill of the well in order to pay their respect to the martyrs.

A similar incident was reported in June. Two thieves had decamped with coins worth around Rs 4,000 after breaking the iron mesh of the well. One of the accused was later arrested by the police.