In search for treasure, miscreants damage Gingee Fort Amman idol 

VILLUPURAM: A day after the Amman idol in Gingee fort temple was found damaged, police formed a special team to nab unidentified suspects. Police suspect the culprits attempted to dig the land below the idol in hopes of finding hidden treasure.

The incident came to light when devotees visited the Kamalakanni Amman temple on Monday only to find the deity's stone idol damaged and the platform above demolished. A trishul -- usually at the entrance --was thrown out of the premises, said a local source.

Based on information, police rushed to the spot and launched an inquiry. A complaint was registered by Archeological Survey of India's security officer for Gingee Fort Navindiran Reddy, and a case was filed.

Meanwhile, devotees gathered at the Gingee police station later that evening, demanding the arrest of those involved. They cleared from the spot after police pacified them.  

A police official involved in the probe said, the fort's fence was damaged in many spots, and the suspects could have entered through them and broken the idol. After digging the land below the deity and hitting a rocky surface, the suspects may have left the half dug site and fled, said a source.

Speaking to the media, temple trustee Aranga Ezhumalai said, "Locals consider Kamalakanni Gingee town's tutelary deity." She is the first among the seven Kannimar goddesses, and the car festival of this temple is famous in Gingee, he added.

It may be noted that a few months ago, a similar incident took place at a temple in the Anandapuram Police Station limit.