Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 21: The Budgam police has lodged a FIR against a goldsmith for keeping a Lingam in his custody which was excavated in village Kralpora Magam over three months back by a family while digging a well in their compound.
Confirming that the Lingam was excavated by the family while digging a well in their compound, Director Archieves and Museums, Muneer –ul-Islam told Excelsior that his office came to know about the same two days back and soon he deputed one of his officers along with team to the village to verify the facts.
He said the police has registered a FIR in this regard and they had asked the Department to take possession of the Lingam but we refused to take the same. “The Lingam will be produced in the Court wherefrom the Department will take its possession’’, he added.
He said those who recovered the Lingam during digging the well are guilty of not informing the Department as Archives and Museums Department is custodian of all ancient material excavated from the earth any where in the State. So the people who excavated it from the land where supposed to immediately intimate the Department or police which they did not.
Reports however said that police has registered the FIR against a local goldsmith who had taken the Lingam in his custody and told the family which recovered it from the well that he will examine it of which mettle it is made of.
The family members of Kralpora intimated a local channel that the Lingam was excavated from the compound while digging and the goldsmith told them that he will examine it. He kept it in his possession for a month and when the family members asked him to return the same in case it was of his no use to him, he told them that he will pay them hefty amount but they should maintain the cool and not raise a hue and cry.
However as the news spread in the area and police came to know about the matter, it arrested the goldsmith on the basis of the compliant lodged by the Kralpora family and registered FIR against him.
The local people in the area as well as some Hindu organizations have demanded thorough investigation in the matter as they believe that the Lingam excavated from the ground was of a precious mettle otherwise the goldsmith would have not told the family that he would pay a hefty amount to them.
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