Three arrested for ancient grave-digging in Swabi

SWABI: The district police here on Sunday arrested three people who were involved in digging a grave through an excavator in an ancient graveyard at Sano Wand area in the Yar Hussain village.

The Yar Hussain Police raided the site and caught the accused red-handed after being informed by the locals. Such crimes are committed for treasure-hunting in most cases.

Station House Officer Abdul Wali Khan said it was an ancient grave and the police party had foiled the attempt. Of the arrested persons, Mohammad Asim belonged to the Shahid Baba area in the Mardan district, Hayat Khan and Intiazar Ali hailed from the Yar Hussain village.

The police registered a first information report (FIR) under Section 297/34 of the Pakistan Penal Code. The second incident occurred in the Shahidan graveyard, Topi Tehsil of the district. The unidentified persons had dug a grave but it was not known what they had collected from there and what were their objectives.

The local elders recalled that several hundred years back a bloody war was fought between infidels and Muslims in Topi. The people, who were martyred, were laid to rest there and the graveyard was named after them -- Shahidan (martyrs) graveyard.

The ornamental designs were made on the graves made of stones. When contacted, an official at the Topi City Police Station said that they had registered the case just in a daily diary.