Mumbai: Two idols were stolen from a Jain temple in Andheri (West) in an early morning theft on Saturday. The two burglars, who committed the crime at around 5 a.m. in the temple on the Kumkum society compound, have been caught on CCTV cameras.
“Footage from CCTV cameras at the building shows the two men approaching the gate, looking around, and jumping over the gate into the compound. The duo are then seen leaving the same way carrying the idols from the temple,” said senior police inspector Parmeshwar Ganame, D.N. Nagar police station.
Sameer Mehta, whose father built the temple around 10 years ago, said the incident has left everyone disturbed. “We had installed idols of Simandar Swami and Padmavati Devi, and the thieves stole both the idols and some jewellery.”
The temple is popular in the area and around 80 Jain devotees visit the temple every day. The D.N. Nagar police have registered a case of theft under the Indian Penal Code.
Inquiries are being made with repeat offenders with a history of burglary, while local informants are being shown the CCTV footage to identify the accused. The police suspect involvement of security guards in the crime. “The accused will need the help of people who have knowledge of religious idols to sell them, and we are obtaining information about such people,” an officer said.
- thehindu.com
