Rs 1-mn reward for Himachal temple robbers

Police in Himachal Pradesh on Wednesday announced a cash prize of Rs 10 lakh for information, leading to the recovery of antique idols which was stolen on Tuesday from the Raghunath temple in Kullu town.

"The burglary appears was carried out by hardcore criminals. The gang climbed over the temple roof, took out the precise roof slate and then fixed their rope in the wooden plank," said Sanjay Kundu, additional director general of police (ADGP) law and order, Himachal Pradesh.

"They broke open the false ceiling of the temple using a kind of tool. The burglars climbed down by rope, decamped with 12 items, climbed up again and then fled from the scene," he explained.

"Centuries-old five priceless idols and other valuables weighing 1 kg of gold and 12 kg of silver. We have alerted police all over India, even the Interpol," said Kundu.

Temple thefts are on the rise in the hill state in recent years, but police are calling this the biggest theft ever.

The temple is managed and looked after by the royal family of Kullu.

"The highly revered main idol (of Raghunath) was brought to Kullu over 300 years ago by my ancestor," said Maheshwar Singh, a local legislator who is also the care-taker of the temple.

Every year the colourful Dussehra festival takes place in Kullu in autumn. Hundreds of local deities are brought in by villagers to call on the temple of the chief deity Raghunath (Raghunath is the other name of Rama). The exotic fair attracts people from across India and overseas.