CHENNAI: A 65-year-old woman from Pallikaranai got her seven sovereign gold necklace worth around Rs 7 lakh back after she accidentally left it on a Vinayagar idol before it was taken for immersion. Police recovered the necklace from a garbage pile near the lake, where flower garlands removed from the idols had been discarded.
Kokila of Pallikaranai had bought a small Vinayagar idol and performed pooja at her house on September 16. After decorating the idol with the necklace and flower garlands, she placed it beside a larger community Vinayagar idol installed on the main road for immersion before returning home. Around 11 pm, Kokila realised that she had forgotten to remove the necklace from the idol. She rushed back to the spot, but the small idols had already been taken for immersion. On September 17, she lodged a complaint with the Pallikaranai police, based on which the Crime Branch inspector conducted an inquiry.
Balaraman, who had installed the community idol, told police that the idols had been taken to Narayanapuram Lake for immersion and the flower garlands were discarded in a garbage pile near the lake. Police searched the garbage pile and recovered the necklace.