An antique idol of Goddess Durga made of black chlorite stone (locally known as ‘muguni pathar’) was allegedly stolen from the Bhitarkanika National Park in Kendrapada district.
The theft came to the fore after the priest of the Kanika royal family, who visited the spot during Durga Puja for worship, found the idol missing from the temple located in the dense forest.
The 2.50-feet-high and 1.50-feet-wide idol was being worshipped inside the wildlife sanctuary in the past 200 years.
There was a bungalow for hunting at Bhitarkanika revenue village of the national park during the regime of kings. In leisure period, the Kanika King was visiting the place for poaching. He built a temple of Lord Shiva in the forest for worship. He installed idols of other deities around the temple. As there is no land route to the temple, the water route is the only option to reach the temple.
Since the temple is currently being managed by the Forest Department, the theft of the centuries-old Durga idol has raised eyebrows. When asked, priest Naresh Kumar Pati, who used to worship the idol every Sankranti, said the idol has been stolen since a long time.
In his reaction, local forest official Bijay Kumar Patra expressed surprise over the priest’s visit to the temple through water route without obtaining permission from the department.