Latest News | Stolen Panchaloha Idols from Karnataka Temple Recovered Hours After Theft

Udupi (Karnataka), Mar 13 (PTI) Panchaloha idols stolen from the Sri Rama Temple in Udupi district were recovered near a riverbank just hours after the theft, police said on Thursday.

Unidentified miscreants broke into the temple late Tuesday night and made away with sacred idols of Lord Rama, Sita, Lakshmana, and Hanuman, along with the temple's donation box, police said.

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However, the stolen items were mysteriously abandoned near a riverside, leading to their swift recovery, police added.

The burglary came to light early Wednesday morning when temple staff arrived for daily rituals and discovered the break-in. The police were immediately alerted, and an investigation was launched, police said.

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A tracker dog squad traced the thieves' movements to a riverside nearly 600 meters from the temple, where an ornament was found.

Expert divers were then deployed, leading to the recovery of the idols and the donation box from the water, a senior police officer said.

The investigation is ongoing, with efforts underway to identify and apprehend those responsible for the break-in, police said.

A case has been registered at Kota Police Station, and further investigations are in progress, they added.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)