Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 3: Thieves broke into an ancient temple in Chinore on the intervening nights of September 1 and 2, and decamped with several valuable gold items and cash.
Police have detained one of the thieves identified as Shabir Ahmed Kishtwari while the other accused is still at large.
“Our teams are after him. Sooner, he’ll be behind the bars,” said a police spokesperson.
Sources said two persons broke into the Prachin Mandir in Chinore and ran away with valuable gold items like Mangalsutras, Chain, Rings, and bangles worn by the temple’s statues.
They also broke open two donation boxes, stealing around Rs 2.5 lakh in cash, sources said, adding, they even attacked the temple’s priest, Mahant Divyanand Saraswati Maharaj.
He luckily managed to escape, preventing more items from being taken.
After Mahant reported the theft to Police Post Chinore, they said, a case was registered and one of the thieves identified with the help of a CCTV camera installed within the premises of the temple was arrested. Police are after the other accused involved in the crime.
Mahant Divyanand Saraswati Maharaj has expressed his disappointment about these incidents and urged locals in Chinore in particular and Jammu in general to stay vigilant.
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