Temple thieves thrive in Kasargod

KASARGOD: It seems that thieves have set their eyes on temples in Kasargod and Kanhangad areas, most of which have good amount of ornaments adorning its deities. In the last two months as many as 10 temples were burgled in the region.

The most recent one was on Tuesday night at the Vishnumangalam temple in Edaneer and the police are yet to nab the culprits.

Some of the earlier cases have been successfully solved by the police and arrested those behind it. Police said there was link between inter-state gangs who indulge in temple thefts.

One of the culprits arrested in connection with a series of thefts in Hosdurg area belonged to a neighbouring state.

Police say all the thefts were carried out by professional burglar gangs and these thefts were not aimed at creating communal trouble.

The deity which was stolen from the Vishnumangalam temple had one of its arms severed.

This was done to know whether the deity contained gold. It was not a move to create any ill-feelings, they said.

But the BJP here thinks otherwise.

There was a conspiracy behind the theft at the Vishnumangalam temple, said BJP sources. The theft at the temple and at the Edaneer mutt was part of a move to harm the mutt chief with the intention of creating communal problems.

In most of the recent cases, the panchaloha idols stolen from temples have been found abandoned on its premises as the thieves were only interested in gold ornaments.