Ashtadhatu idols stolen in Bihar's Saran

CHHAPRA: Burglars decamped with ‘Ashtadhatu’ idols of Lord Ram, Janaki and Laxman from a temple in Dakchhin Tola village under Manjhi police station area in Saran district Sunday night. According to sources, the idols are around 300 years old and have estimated cost of around Rs5 crore in the international market.
The locals protested the theft and tried to disrupt traffic in the morning.The incident came to light on Monday morning when the priest, Chhote Mishra, came to the temple to perform daily rituals. “I found the temple door open and the idols missing. I immediately informed the villagers about the missing idols,” he said.
SHO Ashok Kumar Das tried to search the stolen idols in neighbouring isolated places. The Police also interrogated some guests who had joined the ‘tilak’ ceremony organized at the house of one Dina Nath Yadav in the temple neighbourhood.
One of the villagers, Uma Shankar Ojha, said the temple was constructed and the idols were put by the ancestors of the present priest around 300 years ago.