By IANS,
Shimla : Five 17th century bronze idols have been stolen from a temple in Himachal Pradesh, police said Thursday.
The antique idols were found missing from the Miya Ka Mandir in Nahan, about 140 km from here, Wednesday noon. The head priest was not in the temple at the time.
“Initial investigations rule out the involvement of smugglers behind the theft. Five bronze idols were taken away from the total 11 idols,” said Assistant Superintendent of Police Rani Bindhu Sachdeva.
“Some drug addicts, who were regular visitors to the temple, seem to be behind the theft,” Sachdeva told IANS.
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has been informed about the theft of the idols, which had been installed in 1785 by Miya Maldeav and Miya Kushal Singh of the erstwhile Bilaspur princely state.
Wednesday’s theft has once gain put the spotlight on the treasures housed in hundreds of temples and monasteries without proper security.
Last year, two ancient idols were stolen from the Shoolini temple in Solan town. In another incident, ancient coins and silver artefacts went missing from the Suryavanshi temple in Kullu town.
Himachal Pradesh has over 2,000 temples and monasteries that are centuries old. Of these, 60 are under the supervision of the ASI, while 31 are under the control of the state’s language, art and culture department.