Nandi idol stolen from Balatripurasundary Sametha Agastheswa temple in Andhra Pradesh

A 1,000-kg Nandi idol has been stolen from the Balatripurasundary Sametha Agastheswara Swamy temple in Ramachandrapuram, a town in East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh, police said on Friday. The robbery occurred at the 400-year-old place of worship on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday. The police suspect the involvement of persons associated with the temple or some miscreants from the village as the monolithic idol, carved out of granite stone, weighs nearly one tonne.

Temple authorities and devotees were shocked to see the extremely heavy idol missing and huge hole in the place where it stood. The locals said that the theft in the temple, which is in a residential complex, was carried out without any noise.

Investigations have since begun following a complaint from the temple authorities, the police said adding that sniffer dogs, too, have been pressed into service. The executive officer of the temple Ramarao told PTI only a huge gang could have stolen the idol which cannot be lifted by one or two robbers because it was so heavy.

(With PTI inputs)