Bhanjanagar: Miscreants allegedly decamped with four Radha-Krishna idols made of ‘Ashtadhatu’ (eight metals) and two idols of dancers, all estimated to be around 300 years old, from Narayan Swami temple established by the Bhanja royal family at Narayanpatna under Tarasingh police limits in Ganjam district late Friday night.
The stolen items are estimated to be worth more than Rs 1 crore.
On being informed, Tarasingh police station IIC Shubhalakshmi Pujari, Bhanjanagar police station IIC Jibanananda Jena and SDPO Deepak Mishra rushed to the spot and launched an investigation. Police suspect the involvement of an organised racket.
A sniffer dog squad and a scientific team were also pressed into service.
The theft has sparked anger and resentment among the residents in the area. According to historical accounts, rulers of the Bhanja dynasty of Ghumusar had built several temples in Kulad, their capital and in Narayanapatna around 1760.
Among them were the Kulada Jagannath Temple and the Narayan Swami Temple. In 1993, all ornaments were stolen from the Kulada Jagannath Temple and have not been traced since.
The idols stolen late Friday night are between 2.5 feet and 4.5 feet in height.
The priest locked the temple and left for home after the nightly rituals were completed by 8:30 pm.
The theft was discovered Saturday morning when the priest returned to open the temple and subsequently filed a police complaint.
Investigators say they have obtained preliminary leads and expect a breakthrough within a week, a police official said.
Since the 1993 theft, villagers have been contributing ornaments for the deity’s golden attire during the annual Rath Yatra and at other times.