Seven valuable idols were stolen from the Ram Janaki Math temple at Narghoghi in Bihar, the police said. The idols were made of ashtadhatu (an alloy comprising eight precious metals) and the role of the head priest and home guards deployed for security at the shrine is being probed.
Locals claimed that the idols of Sita, Rama, Radha, Krishna, Lakshman and Hanuman were about 400 years old and worth several crores of rupees.
“The Station House Officer (SHO) of the Sarairanjan Police Station was informed about the missing idols on the morning of April 12,” said Tanveer Ahmed, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO)-Sadar, Samastipur. “Senior officials, led by the Superintendent of Police Deepak Ranjan, rushed to the temple.”
“Sniffer dogs spotted a glove, apparently worn by the burglars, inside the quarters of the mahant (head priest). He was taken into custody for interrogation,” the SDPO said.
“Three home guards had been deployed at the temple for its security. Out of them, one did not report for duty while the remaining two claimed that they had been held hostage by the robbers who decamped with the idols,” Mr. Ahmed said.
The involvement of more people closely associated with the temple was suspected since the padlocks were not prised but opened with the help of keys, he said.
