In a brazen act of sacrilege, thieves targeted the revered Thawe Bhawani Temple in Bihar's Gopalganj district, making off with precious ornaments of the Goddess Durga idol valued at approximately ₹80 lakh. The incident, which has sparked outrage among devotees, occurred late on Wednesday night, December 17, and was discovered by priests the following morning.
How the Daring Temple Heist Unfolded
According to Superintendent of Police Awadhesh Dixit, the theft was executed by two masked individuals between 11:30 PM and midnight. The perpetrators entered the sanctum sanctorum from the rear side of the temple using a ladder. They then cut a lock with a cutter to gain access. Once inside, they decamped with several valuable items, including a gold crown weighing around 500 grams, a gold necklace, a gold umbrella, and a donation box containing cash offerings.
CCTV footage from the site shows one thief with his face covered by a black muffler and the other wearing a cap. The gold crown was a significant donation, having been gifted to the temple just last year by a businessman from Jharkhand.
Immediate Fallout and Police Investigation
The theft came to light on Thursday morning when temple priests arrived to perform daily rituals and found the inner sanctum in disarray. The news quickly spread, leading to a large gathering of distressed devotees who expressed severe concern over the glaring security lapse at this prominent Shaktipeeth, which draws pilgrims from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Nepal.
Police teams, including forensic experts and a dog squad, swiftly reached the spot. SP Awadhesh Dixit stated that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted under the Sub-Divisional Police Officer (Sadar). The probe is utilizing human intelligence, technical inputs, and CCTV analysis. "Swift action is being taken and all aspects are being thoroughly probed," Dixit assured.
In a significant administrative action, DIG (Saran range) Nilesh Kumar ordered the suspension of the in-charge of the Thawe town outpost and four other police personnel deployed there. Furthermore, four SAP jawans have been recommended for dismissal. The SP confirmed that the role of the police personnel and temple guards on duty is under scrutiny, especially since the theft occurred despite a police post being present at the temple premises.
Security Concerns and Devotee Anger
Priest Sanjay Pandey revealed that while most of the temple's ornaments are usually stored in lockers, the stolen items were among those kept on the idol. The estimated loss of ₹80 lakh has highlighted major security vulnerabilities. Authorities have now issued directives to strengthen security measures at the temple to prevent any such incident in the future.
The incident has not only caused financial loss but has also deeply hurt the religious sentiments of countless devotees. Police maintain that law and order in the area is normal and have expressed confidence in arresting the accused soon.
