Pune: Rs 22,000 charged for funeral at Yerwada crematorium

Pune: It has come to light that exorbitant money was being charged for a funeral at the Amardham Hindu Smashanbhumi (crematorium) in Yerwada. Rs 1,000-Rs 2,000 was also taken for storing ashes in the Asthi room. Rs 22,000 was charged for a funeral recently.

Two contract workers were deployed at the crematorium in Yerwada. They treated relatives of a deceased person as customers and overcharged them to conduct a funeral. They also collected charges for using the electric incineration. On the pretext of buying diesel, wood, and cow-dung cakes, they overcharged. Relatives of a deceased person handed over money without grumbling as they mourned. The two workers were taking advantage of this.

Overcharging for wood

Around 240 kg wood is required for cremation. However, money was charged for 120 kg more at the crematorium in Yerwada. A local resident said that a wood depot used to supply wood to the crematorium. It stopped paying commission to the person, who used to bring it to the crematorium. Procuring wood from the depot was stopped immediately.

The malpractice exposed

According to the details, Ganesh Deore (43) and Dhiraj Gogawale, both residents of Yerwada, had an argument recently. One told the other that he never stopped the other person from earning money. The argument intensified and they came to fisticuffs. Deore suffered a nose bone fracture.

A complaint was lodged at the police station. This led to the exposure of the malpractice of overcharging for a funeral at Yerwada.