Shimla temple theft case: Stolen idols recovered, 2 accused

Shimla police today claimed to have solved the Shirgul Kila Temple idol theft case and recovered all the four stolen ancient idols of 'ashtadhatu', police said.
The police also arrested two accused, Chatter Bahadur and Dipender, both hailing from Nepal, while a manhunt has been launched to arrest the third accused, they said.
"The antique value of the 200-250 years old idols were in crores of rupees and the accused had struck a deal to sell the four idols for Rs 50,000," SHO Chopal Dharam Singh Thakur said.
A case under section 457 (assault or criminal force in attempt wrongfully to confine a person) and 380 (theft in dwelling house, etc) of the IPC was registered at Chopal police station on the complaint of the priest of Shirgul Mahraj Temple Chopal, Daleep Kumar Sharma, the SHO said.

Sharma claimed that some unknown persons broke into the temple and stole four idols and one shell (shankh) from there on the intervening night of August 17 and 18, he said.
The police scanned the CCTV footage and spotted two persons with muffled faces inside the temple but could not identify them.
Police later found the axe used in breaking the temple lock and when nearby shopkeepers were questioned, the cops got to know the identity of the accused following which they were arrested, the SHO said.