Stolen rare idol from the temple seized at airport in New Delhi last month yet to be returned to the temple in Jajpur
By AKSHYA ROUT
Jajpur, Nov 29: Last month custom officials seized a rare stolen ten -armed ‘Astadhatu; image of Ma Kotrakhi from the Indira Gandhi international airport , New Delhi which was stolen last year from the 200 year old famous Ma Kotrakhi temple at village Darpanigada under Barachana police station in Jajpur district.
But the recovered idol is yet to be returned to the santo sanctum of the temple.The ancient idol was stolen from the temple on 11th January 2021 by some idol lifters. Last month, customs officials seized the stolen idol in the airport after the officials of Archeological Survey of India , New Delhi refused to give an NOC to the customs department for its transport to foreign country as the idol was stolen from the temple.
The custom department informed us about the seizure . No one has been arrested in the case yet. We are taking proper steps to return the idol back to the temple as soon as possible , said Rahul P. R, the Superintendent of Police, Jajpur.
News of the discovery of an idol which was stolen from the temple last year , left residents of the village on cloud nine . Now the idol is gathering dust in the customs office in New Delhi. The government should take urgent steps to return the idol back to the temple, said Udayanath Sahoo, a lawyer of Darpanigada
