This one, however, is mind-boggling.

Stealing ashes for ghost marriage

Image credit: BBC

Three men in China were arrested recently for stealing the ashes of a Chinese social media influencer.

According to a report by Global Times, the three men from Hunan were planning to sell the ashes for a ghost marriage.

The ashes belong to the social media influencer who goes by the handle Luoxiaomaomaozi, who reportedly committed suicide a couple of weeks ago by drinking pesticide during a livestream after being encouraged by social media users.

She was reportedly suffering from depression.

However, a funeral home worker, known only as Shao, got hold of the ashes after her body was cremated, and conspired with two other funeral home workers, Zhang and Lei, to sell the ashes.

The men were reportedly looking for a buyer of the ashes for a ghost marriage, but their plan fell apart because nobody wanted to buy the ashes.

The website reported that the three men are under criminal detention by the local police.

What is a ghost marriage?

A ghost marriage is an age-old custom in China where families arrange a marriage for the deceased.

The Chinese communities believe that there is an afterlife, and the dead needed to get married to maintain the prosperity of their offspring.

Image credit: Wordpress/Shrine Of Dreams

As such, ashes of eligible young women have -- illegally, of course -- become commodities for ghost marriages in some regions of China.

It also explains why the three men were willing to risk it all as undertakers who illegally sell ashes can make a profit of between 50,000 (RM33,000) and 70,000 yuan (RM46,000) if the ghost marriage is successful.