Betrayed Faith: Temple Custodian Turns Idol Thief

A man reported the theft of ancient idols from the Ram-Janaki temple, only to be revealed as the culprit. Vanshidas, overseeing the temple, was involved in a dispute over its ownership. Police arrested him after recovering the idols, which he intended to sell amidst a property transfer disagreement.

A surprising twist unfolded in Mirzapur as an investigation into stolen ancient idols from the Ram-Janaki temple unveiled the complainant himself as the thief. Police disclosed the unusual development on Saturday.

This case dates back to January 14, when a man identified as Vanshidas reported the theft of valuable idols from the temple, prompting an FIR to be lodged at the local Padri police station. However, just days later, on January 18, Vanshidas was arrested alongside three others: Lavkush Pal, Kumar Soni, and Ram Bahadur Pal.

The police successfully recovered the stolen idols, including the sacred figures of Lord Ram, Lakshman, and Janaki, during the search. Interrogations revealed that Vanshidas, who had been supervising the temple for three years, was embroiled in a dispute over the temple's ownership involving his Guru Maharaj Jairam Das and Satua Baba. Vanshidas conceived the theft plan after discovering Jairam Das's intent to transfer the temple property to his nephew.

(With inputs from agencies.)