Thieves steal 2.25-foot emerald Lord Murugan idol from Perungkaranai temple
India
A priceless 2.25-foot emerald idol of Lord Murugan was stolen from the Sri Maragatha Bala Dhandayuthapani Murugan Temple in Perungkaranai village, Tamil Nadu, on Tuesday night.
Thieves managed to outsmart a three-layer security system, disabled the alarm, and spray-painted CCTV cameras before making off with the priceless idol that had been installed in 2008.
Police investigate insider and smuggling links
Police say the thieves planned their move by posing as devotees to study the temple's security and even bypassed three iron doors to reach the sanctum.
Investigators are looking into possible insider help and links to an organized idol-smuggling network.