Vandals smash statues of deities and take temple’s gold

VANDALS smashed statues of deities and stole gold and other valuables at a 15-year-old temple in Taman Bamboo Garden in Jalan Ipoh, Tamil Nesan reported.

The temple was robbed before in January 2017, said temple founder and priest B. Vinesh, 28.

Deities in Hindu temples contain ceremonial gold plates known as yenthiram and other valuables buried beneath them during temple consecration ceremonies. The thieves were aware of this and broke five statues to steal the valuables.

Vinesh said he opened the temple doors at 6.40am and was shocked to see the extensive damage.

> Police in India have busted an alleged human bone smuggling ring after 300 elderly people died within three months at a retirement home in Tamil Nadu, Tamil Nesan reported.

The incident was exposed when an elderly woman who was being transported in an ambulance belonging to the Kanchipuram area home noticed a dead body next to her and cried out for help.

Bystanders blocked the ambulance and police rescued the woman, another elderly man, and retrieved a body hidden among some vegetables in the ambulance.

Police raided the retirement home and found that many of the deceased were kept in ice chillers and their deaths registered with the local authorities.