Two held for stealing 400-year-old idol
JAIPUR: Two people were arrested on Saturday for allegedly stealing a 400-year-old idol of lord Ram made up of sapphire from Parli village in Tonk, police said .
Tonk district superintendent of police (SP) Adrash Sidhu said, “On Thursday around 11.30pm , the priest of the temple had gone out for some personal work; 20 minutes later when his daughter came back, the antique idol was missing. She then informed this to her father and villagers.”
Sidhu said an FIR was registered on the complaint of villagers and a special team was formed considering the seriousness of the case and sentiments of people attached with the idol.
“The antique idol was made up of sapphire (a transparent precious stone). They were placed inside the temple since the people started living in Parli village. A forensic science laboratory team and senior officials were rushed to the spot. The cyber cell of Tonk district also put the phones of suspects on surveillance. Statements of nearby shop owners, workers and people living close to area were recorded; CCTV footages and record of people who have been arrested in theft cases was analysed,” said Sidhu.
He added that after a multi-angle investigation police arrested two accused indentified as Soorajmal Jangid (53), a native of Jaipur, and Satyanaarayan alias Shaitan (42), a native of Tonk.
“During investigation police came to know that the two accused had surveyed the temple in the past few days and had also met the priest of the temple for astrological purpose. On the day of the incident, the accused knew that the priest will leave the temple around 11.30am as it was his routine schedule. Both the accused came on motorbike stole the idol, wrapped it in a cloth and fled the spot,” added the Tonk SP.
Police are trying to know to whom they were planning to sell the idol.