Idols, donation box stolen from Jain temple in Mumbai

Representational picture

A Jain temple in Vile Parle (East) was looted of four idols and a donation box, valuing up to Rs 75,000, early on Sunday morning. The police have registered a case of house break-in against unknown persons.

The temple, which is situated inside a housing society premises on Nariman Road in Vile Parle, is visited by residents living in the vicinity.

According to the police, on Sunday, at around 5.30 am, Devendra Shah (78), a resident from the society, went to the temple for his early morning prayers, when he found the lock broken. On inspection, he found that the donation box in the temple and four idols were missing. He immediately raised an alarm and called the police.

However, since there are no CCTVs installed inside the temple and no eyewitnesses have claimed to see the thief, the police are finding it difficult to make a breakthrough in the case. "Residents have said that the value of the stolen idols and donation box is worth Rs 75,000," said police inspector Mahadeo Nimbalkar of Vile Parle police station. "We are checking if there are any CCTVs in the vicinity," he added.

An FIR has been lodged against unknown persons under Sections 445 (house breaking), 446 (house breaking at night) and 441 (trespassing) of the IPC.