The Nilgiri police after taking one of the accused involved in idol theft case have begun an investigation. Suresh Yadav (50) of Dwarakapuri of UP had been arrested by Nilgiri police in January.
Although the idol was not recovered yet, the police suspect that the idol stolen from Marichi temple in Ayodhya (Nilgiri) Vajra Varahi is still not disposed.
During interrogation, the police could learn that a person from Odisha is the mastermind behind the crime.
“During interrogation, Yadav revealed name of a person who hails from Nimapara of Puri district. He was working in a factory in Aligarh. He had given all information to the members of the racket about the location of idols and antiques in Odisha. The accused is also absconding while three others of the smuggling racket are at large,” said Nilgiri IIC Ramesh Singh.
After his arrest since January 19, the accused while is in jail, the Nilgiri police took him on remand for three days on Sunday , sources said, adding more skeletons would tumble out of cupboard after interrogation as similar incidents are reported from various other parts of the State too.
On December 26 night last, the miscreants after barging into the sanctum sanctorum of the temple by breaking the wall decamped with the idol, Bajra Varahi , about two and half feet high, weighing nearly 70 kg made of black granite stone. The idols were worshipped in Ayodhya since 11th century after they were established by the then ruler, Bhuyan Sardar.