CHANDIGARH: More than 100 heritage furniture items ranging from tables and chairs were stolen from different departments of Panjab University, police have claimed after interrogating a 48-year-old carpenter arrested for allegedly stealing 48 heritage chairs from the university between November 1 and 3.
Sarfaraz, a resident of Baltana in Zirakpur, is in three-day police remand since Saturday. Police sources said the accused revealed the names of other persons who stole the chairs from sociology department of PU. Sources said the thieves sold the chairs to another gang who further sent the furniture abroad. All the accused have been identified and would be arrested, police said. Police on Friday night arrested one person who allegedly used to send stolen heritage furniture abroad for auctions.
Police had received a tip-off that Sarfaraz was coming to Sector 25 to sell some items. Cops laid a trap and caught Sarfaraz with two stolen chairs and recovered 18 more chairs from the forest area in Sector 25 on his disclosure. Police said the accused used to buy damaged heritage items from thieves and supply them to brokers and junk dealers at high price after carrying out repair work. Police had registered the theft case on the complaint of Manjit Singh, superintendent, sociology department, who had alleged 48 heritage chairs were missing from seminar hall at the art block building IV, PU.