Northeast Delhi police have arrested two individuals linked to the theft of a gold-plated kalash (urn) valued at approximately Rs40 lakh from a Jain temple in Jyoti Nagar. The stolen ceremonial item, which was mounted atop the temple spire, has been recovered, though the primary burglar remains at large.
The arrested accused include a 42-year-old woman from Sundar Nagri and a 24-year-old man named Danish from New Mustafabad. Both are scrap dealers, police officials said on Monday.
Police received information about the theft on Saturday morning, when temple staff noticed the kalash missing. CCTV footage revealed a man scaling down a pole inside the temple premises during the intervening night of Friday and Saturday, when most locals were celebrating Karva Chauth.
Following investigation, the woman was detained from Sundar Nagri. Upon interrogation, she admitted to purchasing the kalash from the actual burglar and led police to Danish, from whose shop the remaining parts of the kalash were recovered.
The stolen item is made of ashta-dhatu, an auspicious alloy of eight metals, and contains around 200 grams of gold. Police estimate its value between Rs35 to Rs40 lakh.
The incident has sparked concern among the Jain community, especially in light of a previous theft last month near the Red Fort, where ceremonial items worth Rs1.5 crore were stolen during a religious procession.
Efforts are ongoing to track down the main suspect involved in the burglary.
