Kendrapara, Mar 30: On Tuesday midnight at the Dadhibaman jew temple in Choudkulat village, unknown looters unlocked the sanctum sanctorum of 300-year-old temple in Pattamundai police station limits and looted antique idols and valuables worth over Rs one crore. The stolen articles include a 40 KG weighing Astadhatu idol of Lord Krishna and the brass idols of Lord Hanuman and Goddesses Durga. The ‘Astadhatu’ idol is of immense antiquity value being around more than Rs one crore. From preliminary investigation, it is likely to be ascertained that the loot is the work of the anti-smuggling racket. Forensic experts are eliciting the vital clues from the crime area. Sniffer dogs have been pressed into service to nab the idol lifters. The Sub Divisional Police Officer, Uma Shankar Maharana informed the media.
The 300-year-old medieval temple was made during the reign of the Marathas. Sarat Chandra Mishra, a member of temple management trust said to media that it was the temple priest who spotted the temple looted early morning. He immediately informed the temple management. The miscreants had broken open two iron grills to materialize the loot. A section of the temple priests, temple management members and locals have been interrogated by the cops who stated that no one not even any insiders of the temple are to be spared from being interrogated.
