10 ‘Ashtadhatu’ Idols Stolen From Panchupandav Temple In Odisha’s Kendrapada

Representative Picture

Kendrapada: At least 10 ‘Ashtadhatu’ idols were allegedly stolen from the sanctum sanctorum of Panchupandav temple in Deradiha village within Derabisi police limits in Odisha’s Kendrapada on Saturday.

The matter came to light when temple priest Kamalakant Dash arrived at the temple on Sunday morning and found the main door was open with the lock of the sanctorum broken. He immediately filed a complaint at Derabisi police staton.

According to sources, a special team was formed and sniffer gods were pressed to probe the matter. While a group of professional thieves is suspected to be behind the incident, the role of insiders is not ruled out.

“Since there are no CCTVs on the temple premises, involvement of some temple insider is also being probed,” TNIE reported IIC Jyotimayee Sethi as saying.

Meanwhile, devotees of the area staged a protest in front of the temple demanding the arrest of the accused.

It is pertinent to mention here that around 40 temples, Buddhist monasteries, and other historic places have reportedly been burgled in the district and its neighbouring areas in the past five years.

Besides, a burglar was sentenced to two years imprisonment for stealing idols and ornaments from the Radha Krishna temple at  Nurugaon village on October 26, 2020.