Moodbidri: Basadi thefts - Kolar police arrest two, recover Panchaloha idol
Daijiworld Media Network - Moodbidri (VM)
Moodbidri, Jul 12: In a major breakthrough, two thieves were arrested on Friday July 12 in Kolar district in connection with the recent theft of idols from Basadis here.
File Photo
The arrested are Das and Pramod from Orissa. They were caught by the Kolar police at Kurnul on Karnataka-Andhra Pradesh border, sources said.
The police also recovered the ancient Panchaloha idol of Sri Adhinata Swamy, which is said to be worth Rs 1000 crore.
The theft had occured on June 17 night. The thieves had entered the yard of Chaturvinshati Basadi in Bangadi by breaking open the lock, and taken away 18-inch high Panchaloha idols of Sri Adinatha Swamy, Vrishabhanatha Swamy, Dharmanatha Swamy, and Mahaveera Swamy. The other stolen idols are yet to be recovered.
On the same night, the thieves had also gained entry into the Basadi dedicated to Padmaprabha Teerthankara in the same compound, and succeeded in taking away an 18-inch idol of Padmaprabha Teerthankara, and a six-inch Panchaloha idol of Lord Brahma seated on a horse. Earlier on June 15, 19 Teerthankara idols had been stolen. On July 6, thieves also struck Siddanta Jain Basadi at Moodbidri and stolen an ancient Panchaloha idol.