7 'Ashtadhatu' idols stolen from temple in Bihar

Seven antique idols worth Rs 50 lakh have been stolen from a temple here, police said today.

The incident took place at 'Ram Janaki' temple in Kalyanpur village under the jurisdiction of Mohiuddinnagar police station yesterday, the police said.

Local residents found the temple gate's lock broken and all the seven idols missing this morning, Station House Officer (SHO) Iqbal Ahmed Khan said.

The villagers claimed that the idols were several hundred years old, made of 'Ashtadhatu' (an alloy comprising eight metals), and their combined value was estimated to be around Rs 50 lakh, the SHO said.

The villagers suspect that the former priest of the temple, who had quit a month ago, was behind the incident, the SHO said, adding, the former priest could not be traced despite all efforts to locate him.

An FIR has been lodged and we have started an investigation, he said.