The sad saga of neglected tombs in Lingsugur

GULBARGA: The condition of 24 tombs of British personnel and their family members in a graveyard near the Lingsugur Bus Stand on Bangalore Road is highly pitiable. When Express visited the graveyard of Lingsugur a few days ago, walking in the 1.5 acre graveyard was a horrible experience.All tombs are covered with thorn, human and animal waste.A British Regiment was stationed at Lingsugur prior to independence.Many Britishers were living here with their families.There was a facility of Allopathic and Naturopathy treatment too.Among 24 tombs in the graveyard, the tomb of Captain Leonard Munn attracts the visitors.The body of Munn was buried here but no structure has come up, except a human size stone slab covering the grave.On the stone, it is written, “Captain Leonard Munn OBE [Mil].Belgium Croix de Guerre, younger son of the Rev George Munn Madresfield, Worcs.Born 31st May, 1878, died at Lingsugur, 21st Oct 1935.1808-1919 Mining Engineer [with Municipal Survey] HEH the Nizam’s government.January 1916 to November 1919-served during the Great War with the Royal Engineers in France.April 1928 to October 1935- Geological Survey and Special Officer, Well-sinking Department, during which period he and his staff sank or remodelled more than 1,200 wells in the famine zone of this Raichur District.” According to the information displayed on the tomb, Leonard Munn’s name was a household name during his lifetime.There is another tomb which resembles that of Mary Taylor, the wife of Meadows Taylor who introduced India to foreigners through his books.But there are no details about it.Of the 24 tombs, one can identify only two.The remaining do not have any details or identification marks but most of them are in different styles.It is said that the graveyard belongs to a local church.But nobody from the church was available for comment.Meanwhile, the Curator of Archeological Department of Raichur district Dhanalakshmi told Express that the tombs have not been included in the list of historical monuments.“If anybody submits a proposal to the government, the government may consider it,” Dhanalakshmi said.