Idol desecrated, theft attempted at temple

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

An idol of Lord Hanuman was desecrated and silver ornaments stolen from a temple in Bhavsingpura on Friday afternoon. Police have launched a search for the miscreants and have deployed tight security in the area.

The incident came to light around 4 pm when local youths found the gate of Shri Chirikhana Maruti Temple broken. The temple is located at the foot of a hill in Patilkhor and preparations were underway for Hanuman Jayanti. In the priest’s absence, miscreants used cloth from the temple to burn the idol. The silver eyes and the bell were also stolen. As news spread, a large crowd gathered at the site. Late in the night, BJP leaders and members of local organisations visited the temple. DCP Nitin Bagate, ACP Sanjay Sanap, and PI Dilip Thakur reached the site with police personnel. Two teams from Cantonment Police Station have been deployed to track the culprits. Police suspect involvement of someone familiar with the temple. CP Pawar is monitoring the situation. The temple was shut post-evening and an FIR was being registered as of late Friday night.