According to local news reports from Tamil Nadu, three gold-plated kalasams were stolen from atop the Vimanam (temple tower) of Sri Viruthagireeswarar Temple in Vriddhachalam in Cuddalore district on Monday night. Each ‘kalasam’, weighed more than 300 kgs. Local residents and temple priests on Tuesday morning found that the ‘kalasams’ above the ‘Vimanam’ in the temple missing and immediately alerted the police.

The incident came to light on Tuesday morning when locals and the temple priests were shocked to see the Kalasams, each weighing 300 kg, missing and only the iron rods in which they are placed, were left hanging. The temple is considered as one of the four top Siva shrines among the 1008 in the country.

Vridhachalam Police have registered a case and the investigation is on. According to the local Police, they suspect that the culprits might have used a ladder to climb up the wall of the tower to steal the kalasams. District Superintendent of Police, S. Sakthi Ganeshan after inspecting the scene said that the criminals would have used a ladder to climb top the ‘Vimanam’ and stolen the ‘kalasams’. Police are analysing the CCTV footages in the 2,500 year old temple, for which consecration was held on February 6.

While speaking to IANS, the District Superintendent of Police said: “We have examined the CCTV footage in the temple and have found proper leads. We are zeroing in on the culprits and will apprehend them soon.”

The Viruthagireeswar temple at Cuddalore is believed to be more than 2,500 years old.

Several precious temple artifacts, including idols, were stolen from various temples in the state and after the temple theft squad was constituted, some of these idols and other temple artifacts could be traced back and retrieved.

 

 

 

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