Expressing grave concern over police inaction in nabbing the miscreants involved in theft of idols of Goddess Durga and lord Bhairav from the Chandrasekhar Jew Temple at Kapilas in Dhenkanal district, former Union Minister and former Dhenkanal MP Kamakhya Prasad Singh Deo demanded that the State Government hand over the case to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for a probe.
In a letter to district Collector Rupa Roshan Sahu, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Culture Minister Ashok Panda, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Odisha Governor SC Jamir, Singh Deo said that much before the theft incident, valuable ornaments of Goddess Parvati were stolen from the same temple, but the police have failed to get any clue in the matter so far.
Notably, the idol theft took place in the hill temple of Kapilas on November 25 night. Apprehending involvement of an international racket in the incidents, Singh Deo said it would be better to hand over the investigation to the NIA.
Moreover, Singh Deo appealed to install new idols in place of lord Ganesh, lord Bhairav and Goddess Durga before the celebration of Sivaratri and Jagarmela in the heritage Shiv temple of Kapilas.