In a brazen theft, a gold-plated 'kalash' (ornamental urn) valued at around Rs 40 lakh was stolen from the spire of a Jain temple located in Jyoti Nagar, northeast Delhi. The stolen kalash, made of 'asth-dhatu', a sacred alloy of eight metals, carried approximately 200 grams of gold and weighed between 25 to 30 kilograms. The incident occurred on the night of October 10-11, coinciding with Karva Chauth celebrations when most local residents were occupied with festivities. The temple was closed that night, and the theft was discovered the following morning by temple staff.
CCTV footage reveals daring heist
The entire theft was recorded by CCTV cameras installed at the temple premises, and the footage quickly went viral on social media. Videos show a man skillfully climbing the temple roof using electric wires to reach the spire and removing the kalash under the cover of darkness. In one clip, the suspect is seen descending from the temple pole, carrying the valuable kalash with him. The audacity of the theft has shocked the local community and raised concerns over security at religious sites in the capital.
Police investigation and community reaction
The theft was immediately reported to the Jyoti Nagar police station, and multiple police teams have been formed to track the accused using CCTV surveillance and other technical methods. Neeraj Jain, president of the temple committee, expressed his distress over the loss of the kalash, emphasising its spiritual significance and importance to the community. Leaders of the local Jain community have called for enhanced security to protect religious sites and have welcomed police assurances that the stolen kalash will be recovered soon. Senior police officials, including the DCP and ACP, are personally monitoring the investigation to ensure a swift resolution.
Recent pattern of thefts in Jain Temples
This theft marks the second major incident involving valuable Jain religious artefacts in Delhi within a span of two months. On September 3, gold ceremonial items worth approximately Rs 1.5 crore were stolen during a Jain procession near the Red Fort attended by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. Police had arrested suspects from Ghaziabad in connection with that case.
The recent spate of thefts has deeply hurt the Jain community, which calls for greater vigilance and measures to prevent such violations of faith and sanctity in the future. The investigation into the stolen kalash theft continues as authorities intensify efforts to bring the culprit to justice and restore the sanctity of the ancient temple.
