In a shocking incident, thieves struck at the internationally famous Ugratara Temple in the heart of Guwahati, and decamped with the idol, gold jewellery, donation box and few utensils. CCTV footage showed four persons entering the temple early Friday around 3-3:30 am, breaking open the temple grill and whisking away with the idol, gold jewellery, the donation box and the utensils.
The incident came to light when a priest came to open the grill that led to the inner sanctum sanctorum of the temple and found the idol, jewellery and the other things missing.
“I came to open the grill and perform puja in the morning when I saw the grill wide open and, to my dismay, found the idol and the gold jewellery on the Goddess missing. The thieves also whishked away with the donation box and some utensils,” a priest of the temple told News Live.
“It’s a very shocking incident. The theft has been captured on close circuit TV cameras. We hope that police are able to nab the thieves. We want the idol back and placed at the inner sanctum sanctorum,” Kailash Sarma, a member of the temple management committee, said.
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Guwahati Commissioner of Police Pradip Saloi said they are investigating the incident very seriously and have also registered a case. Police teams with canine squads arrived at the temple and started their probe into the theft.
Incidentally, the thieves struck at the temple after the watchman went to sleep around 3 am. The temple, significantly, is located very close to the Latasil police station.
Meanwhile, many women devotees who live at Jorpukhuri locality were in tears after the theft came to light and demanded of the police to put their best foot forward, recover the idol and arrest and punish the thieves.
The Ugratara Temple is among the 52 powerful Shakti shrines in the country and receives a steady stream of visitors every day.
