100-yr-old vessels of Tilak family stolen

PUNE: Copper and brass vessels, which were more than 100 years old and belonging to the family of freedom-fighter Lokmanya Tilak, were stolen from Gaikwad wada, next to Kesari wada, at Narayan Peth on Saturday night.
Sub-inspector R.M. Vichare said the stolen vessels included four large copper pots (handis), each weighing around 20 kg, and a 10-kg brass plate (parat), totally worth around Rs 50,000.
Construction work is under way at the wada, which belongs to Tilak's family, and the vessels were kept out in the open, said Vichare.On Sunday morning, the house help, Kamal Raut (64), noticed that the vessels were missing. She lodged a complaint with the police.
When contacted, corporator Mukta Tilak, a member of the Tilak family, told TOI that these vessels were more than 100 years old and were not being used regularly.
The wada, which is barely 200 metres away from the Narayan Peth police chowky, is usually a crowded place due to the offices located on the premises.
The police have questioned the labourers working at the construction site and are also keeping a watch on various city markets where the vessels could be pawned or sold.