KENDRAPARA: Police recovered the Astadhatu idol of Lord Krishna with Gopis, stolen from Dadhibamanajew temple, from a ditch near a bridge on Saturday evening at Tamalasasan village under Pattamundai police station in Kendrapara district.
Some miscreants sneaked into the temple on March 29 night last year and stole around 12 idols . Some villagers found the idol from a ditch under a bridge near the temple. “We suspect the thieves abandoned the idol on the spot because of police raid. Three months back, we had recovered some of the stolen idols and arrested three miscreants, including a goldsmith,” said Umashankar Moharana, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) of Pattamundai.As the news of the recovery of the stolen idol spread, many villagers reached the spot and started offering prayers. “We will soon hand over the idol to the priests of the temple for its re-installation,” added the police officer. Four months back, police had arrested three miscreants in connection with the theft of valuables from the famous Ma Gojabaiani temple at Baghadia village under Marsaghai police station.
Six months back, Nischintakoili police had busted an inter-state gang of idol lifters and arrested two of its key members and recovered rare stone Buddha image stolen from the Buddha temple at Buhalo village. A priceless stone statue of meditating Buddha was stolen three years back from the excavation site at the famous Buddhist monastery in Udayagiri.
Four years back, one Buddha image was vandalised and the thieves had decapitated the five foot Buddha idol at Udayagiri. No one has been arrested in both the cases.Many temples and Buddhist sites are full of antiques. Some local antique dealers buy these from local thieves for just a few bucks. When the antiques reach metropolitan cities, the prices climb up manifold. When the antique statues reach the international market, they become priceless, said Dr Basudev Das, renowned historian of Kendrapara.
Thefts in temples
Four months back, police had arrested three miscreants in connection with the theft of valuables from the famous Ma Gojabaiani temple at Baghadia
Nischintakoili police had busted an inter-state gang of idol lifters and arrested two of its key members and recovered rare stone Buddha image
Local antique dealers buy the idols from local thieves for just a few bucks
When the antique statues reach the international market, they become priceless