Idol, silver, gold looted from Tiruvallur Raghavendra Mutt

TIRUVALLUR: In a well-planned heist, a gang broke into a Mutt in Tiruvallur and made away with a panchaloha idol, several kilos of silver, cash and some gold jewellery on Thursday. A special police team is on the hunt for the robbers.

The Raghavendra Mutt located at Kulakarai Street near Veera Raghava Perumal Temple is taken care of by 56-year-old Raghavan, a resident of Sannadhi Street. On Thursday night, after the evening rituals, Raghavan locked the Mutt and went home. However, when he returned on Friday to the morning pooja, he was shocked to find the lock broken at the main door.

“On checking he realised that a panchaloha idol of Prahalad weighing 5 kg was missing. The robbers had also taken 30 kg of silver articles, 10 sovereigns of gold jewellery and Rs 51,000 in cash,” police said.

Based on a complaint by Raghavan, the Tiruvallur Town police rushed to the scene and conducted the first leg of enquiries. The forensic unit also arrived at the Mutt and lifted fingerprints for further analysis. “The thieves planned the whole robbery and managed to remove all the surveillance cameras that were placed in and around the Mutt,” police said. A special police team has been formed to nab the gang that carried out the heist.