An Ashtadhatu idol of Lord Adinath has turned the Kamla Market police station into a pilgrimage site. The God-fearing SHO has kept the recovered idol next to pictures of Sikh Gurus in her cupboard, reports Mid Day from Delhi.
The Delhi police station has become a prominent stopover for Jain pilgrims from Delhi and Udaipur, owing to a stolen idol of Lord Adinath - also known as Lord Rishabhdev.
The ashtadhatu idol, which is kept in the room of the Kamla Market Station House Officer Surender Jeet Kaur, is attracting hundreds of devotees from the Khuldari village in Udaipur, from where it was taken away.
The idol was stolen on January 29 and was recovered by the Delhi police on May 29.
"It's a matter of faith. Daily 100-150 people come to my office to pay their obeisance to the idol," Kaur told MiD DAY.
Kaur, herself a very religious person, never raises an eyebrow over so many people visiting her office daily. In fact, photographs of the nine Sikh gurus, Amritsar's Golden Temple, Lord Hanuman adorn a shelf in the office of the SHO.
Colleagues of Kaur were all praise for their boss and the benevolence shown towards the pilgrims visiting her office daily. "She even offers food to those coming from Udaipur," said a constable attached to the police station, requesting anonymity.
Interestingly, the police station building stands just 500 metres away from Delhi's only red-light area GB Road.
Kaur said the idol would be taken back to Udaipur on Friday evening. She also confirmed that a number of people from the village had started keeping fasts for the recovery of the idol and a number of them travel from Udaipur to Delhi without eating or even drinking water on their way. "We offer them whatever we can. Their faith is commendable," she said.
Another constable attached to the central Delhi police station said even regular visitors take off their shoes before entering the SHO's office due to the presence of so many religious idols and photographs.
According to the Antiquities and Art Treasure Act, the sale, change of ownership, change of location and change of possession of antiquities is an offence.
