A 32-kg silver idol of Sri Pavada Basaveshwara, valued at approximately Rs 51.20 lakh, was stolen from the sanctum sanctorum of the Pavada Basaveshwara Temple complex IN Vijayapura, police said on Monday.
The incident occurred in Basarakod village, Muddebihal taluk in Vijayapura district, during the intervening night of July 5 and 6, they said.
A case of theft was registered at Muddebihal Police Station following a complaint lodged by temple committee president Karanandeppa Biradar, police said.
The theft was discovered around 4 AM when the resident priest noticed the temple doors open and locks broken. The idol was missing from its pedestal, they said.
According to the complaint, unknown thieves, with the intention of committing theft, had broken the locks of the two entrance doors of the Shri Pavada Basaveshwara Temple and stolen the approximately 32-kg silver idol of Shri Pavada Basaveshwara, valued at Rs 51.20 lakh, which was placed on the pedestal inside the sanctum sanctorum.
The complainant stated that the temple priest had performed the evening pooja at 9 PM on July 5 and locked both the inner and outer iron doors before leaving.
The case is under investigation and police teams have been formed to identify and trace the unknown culprits, they added.
