Three Jain Idols Stolen From Indore Temple Found Buried In Dhar, One Arrested

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Police arrested a person from Dhar district and recovered three stolen Ashtadhatu idols of Lord Mahavir, Adinath and Arahnath from him, police said on Wednesday.

The idols were allegedly stolen from Rishi Teerth Sthal Jain temple in Mangliya. Police also identified four other suspects, and a search is underway for them.

According to Mangliya outpost in-charge Satyendra Singh, the idols were stolen from the temple on Sept 16.

Taking the theft seriously, police formed a special investigation team (SIT) under SDOP Sanwer Devendra Dhurve.

The team examined CCTV footage, suspects' appearance and body language, and audio recordings from the scene.

Based on technical evidence and information from informers, a police team reached Tanda in Dhar district and detained a suspect identified as Mohan alias Ashiq.

During questioning, he allegedly confessed to the theft and named four accomplices - Karan, Arjun, Sunkes and Santosh.

According to police, the suspect allegedly told police they had stolen the idols, believing they were made of gold or silver.

He further told police that the idols had been buried at the house of his accomplice Arjun in Dhar district. Police took Mohan to the spot and recovered all three idols after digging the place.

Police did not find the other suspects at their homes, and they are believed to have fled after learning about the police action. Police said their mobile phones have also been switched off, and they are working to arrest them.