KENDRAPARA: Burglars broke into a Shiva temple in Malikeswarpur village within Derabishi police limits on Monday night and decamped with an idol of Goddess Laxmi from the outer wall of the shrine.
The idol, made from black granite (Muguni) stone, was three feet high and weighing around one quintal. The theft came to light when priest Purusotam Padhi reached the temple on Tuesday morning and found the idol missing. He then filed an FIR in the police station.
Derabishi IIC Umakanta Nayak said a special team has been formed to investigate the theft. While not ruling out involvement of an insider in the incident, he said, the priests and locals were being questioned.
As the news of the theft spread, a large number of people gathered at the temple. Some devotees also staged dharna in front of the temple demanding immediate arrest of the culprits.
Sources said as many as 15 temples, Buddhist monasteries and other historic places have been burgled in the last four years in the district.
Last year, miscreants decamped with a three feet high Muguni idol of Goddess Durga sitting on the lap of Lord Shiva from the Nayakbabu temple within the core area of Bhitarkanika National Park.
Eight months back, Astadhatu idols, gold and silver ornaments were stolen from the 350-year-old Radhakanta Jew temple in Giria village under Rajkanika.
Two years back, miscreants decamped with gold and silver ornaments and artefact worth of over `3 lakh from the famous Kali temple in Olaver village.