KANHANGAD: Burglars struck at a Shiva temple and made off with the panchaloha idol of the deity at Chittari near Kanhangad. Hosdurg police have registered a case and begun an investigation.
The burglars broke open the main door of the Mallikarjuna temple to gain access, said Hosdurg police. The temple has four deities installed in four different sancta sanctorum. The thieves went for the idol of Shiva in the main sanctum sanctorum, said the temple committee president N Janadharana Nayakaravalapu, who stays close to the temple.
His brother first saw the broken lock on the temple gate on Tuesday morning. The thieves also broke into the temple office and took Rs 4,000 kept on the shelf, he said.
They also broke the lock on the shrine of Lord Ganesha but left it as the idol was made of stone, Nayakaravalapu said. The panchaloha idol of Shiva cost around Rs 70,000, he added.
Hosdurg police brought in fingerprint experts to collect evidence.
Last week, thieves broke open the offertory box of a Juma Masjid at Miyapadav near Manjeshwar and took away around Rs 5,000, said police.