Locked away for years, ashes of over 100 unclaimed bodies immersed at Kiratpur Sahib

3 min readMohaliJul 13, 2026 09:32 PM IST

The team carefully collected all the ashes and transported them to Kiratpur Sahib, where the final rites were performed in accordance with Sikh religious traditions. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons/ Enhanced using AI)

Ashes of over 100 unclaimed bodies received a dignified farewell as their ashes were immersed at Kiratpur Sahib with full religious rites. The initiative was led by Ward No. 14 councillor Kamaldeep “Banny”.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Ward No. 14 councillor Kamaldeep Singh “Banny” said the idea first came to him during the Covid-19 pandemic. “I had gone to the cremation ground after the death of a child from my ward to assist the family with the last rites. There, I noticed several sets of unclaimed ashes lying unattended, with no one coming forward to collect or immerse them according to religious customs. That sight stayed with me,” he said.

Banny said, they undertook their first initiative on December 24, 2021, when they collected and immersed around 25 to 30 sets of unclaimed ashes at Kiratpur Sahib. “This is the second time we have carried out this service. By God’s grace, we have once again been allowed to perform this humanitarian duty,” he said.

The recent operation, he added, revealed a picture of neglect. “The lockers where the ashes had been stored for years had completely rusted. Many locks had corroded and had to be broken open. Several lockers had deteriorated so badly that the ashes and bags inside had fallen into one another,” he said.

According to Banny, although 84 bags of ashes were taken for immersion, the remains are believed to belong to more than 100 individuals. Crematorium employees told the team that the ashes had been placed in the lockers while they were still damp after the cremation rituals. Over time, the trapped moisture caused the iron lockers to rust and collapse. As the metal disintegrated, the upper lockers gave way, causing ashes to fall into the lower compartments. Many of the cloth bags had also torn, resulting in the ashes of individuals getting mixed together.

“Every individual deserves a dignified farewell. Even those who have no family left deserve society’s respect and compassion. With this spirit, we performed the last rites of all these unclaimed souls at Kiratpur Sahib,” Banny said.

The ashes belonged to unidentified road accident victims, destitute persons, homeless individuals, and several people who died during the COVID-19 pandemic but were never identified or claimed by their families. After their cremation, the ashes had been stored in lockers at the Sector 57 cremation ground.

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Nearly two months ago, the MC issued a public notice inviting relatives or claimants to come forward. However, no claims were received within the given period, following which a decision was taken to immerse the ashes with full religious honours.

Banny said he was accompanied by Davinder Singh Jugni, Rupinder Kanwar, Prince and Kamaldeep Singh during the ceremony. The team carefully collected all the ashes and transported them to Kiratpur Sahib, where the final rites were performed in accordance with Sikh religious traditions.