Close on the heels of the serial killings in Nithari, bodies of four children were found on Tuesday by police in an abandoned rice mill owned by former Congress MP Jagmeet Singh Brar at Balamgarh village on the outskirts of Punjab's Muktsar town.

Police said the half-burnt bodies were of two girls and two boys aged between nine and 13 years.

They were taken into custody and sent for an autopsy.

Police personnel deployed for the 'Maghi Mela' found the bodies after they detected a foul odour emanating from the mill, which Brar said had been closed for five years.

The hands and legs of the decomposed bodies were tied with ropes, and it appeared an attempt was made to burn them, police said.

On being contacted, Brar told PTI on phone from Delhi that he has renting out the mill for the past 15 years and it had been closed for five years.

He said he was prepared to face a probe into the matter and ruled out the possibility that his political opponents were out to malign his image.

"This is an unfortunate incident. There were earlier thefts at the mill and complaints about these were lodged by the local residents," Brar said.

"I will cooperate in any probe by the police into this matter," he said.

Police said a case has been registered and further investigations were on.

The main opposition Shiromani Akali Dal has demanded an inquiry by a Central agency into the incident.