New Delhi: An ‘Ashtadhatu’ idol, which was allegedly stolen from Odisha’s Jajpur over a year back, was recovered at Delhi airport while being trafficked.
According to sources, the idol smugglers were planning to export the theft item overseas in a cargo flight.
The Ashtadhatu idol (idol made of eight metals) was sent to the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) for examination, which revealed that the theft item is Maa Kotrakshi, the presiding deity of Darpangarh village in Odisha’s Jajpur.
Notably, the matter came to the fore after the ASI informed the Jajpur SP recently.
It is pertinent to mention here that some miscreants had stolen the idol of Maa Kotrakshi from the Darpangarh village late at night on January 11, 2021.
The villagers lodged a written complaint about theft with the Badachana Police the following morning. The locals had also staged a dharna in front of the temple demanding speedy action in the case.
However, the police failed to nab the gang. Around seven months later the incident, the villagers placed another idol of their presiding deity inside the temple.
