Stolen Mahavira idol recovered in Bihar, Rajnath Singh lauds state police

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday commended the Bihar Police for the recovery of a priceless ancient idol of Lord Mahavira, which was stolen from a temple in Jamui last fortnight. "I am happy to know that the ancient idol of Lord Mahavira has been recovered. Bihar Police has done a good job," he said in a statement. The priceless 2600-year-old idol of Lord Mahavira, weighing 250 kg which was stolen from a Jain temple nine days ago, was recovered today from a village in Bihar's Jamui district. 

Bhagalpur Zone Inspector General of Police (IG), Bacchu Singh Meena said over phone from Jamui, where he has been camping for more than a week to supervise operation for recovery of the precious idol, that the gang involved in the theft had called the police through one of its men informing them about the idol lying in a field in Bicchwe village.

Policemen reached the spot and recovered the idol this morning. Meena said the thieves had planned to dispose of the idol to prospective buyers, but could not do so due to the mounting pressure from investigators as a result of which they were left with no option but to abandon it.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had spoken to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and enquired about the matter immediately after the idol was stolen. The Chief Minister had initially ordered a high-level probe by senior police officials before recommending a CBI probe into the incident.