Unidentified suspects allegedly broke into a temple in Block V, Sector 12, Noida, and escaped with 5.5 kilograms of silver worth around ₹11 lakh on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday, police said.
The theft came to light early Wednesday when the Shiv Durga Mandir (temple) staff arrived for morning duties, police added.
According to police, the temple staff discovered the break-in around 4.30am and informed the temple office bearers, who subsequently alerted the police. Investigators from the Sector 24 police station reached the spot around 5.30am and began their probe.
Kapil Upadhyay, a temple representative, and Jagannath Dayal Upadhyay, the temple’s General Secretary, submitted a complaint, following which a case under Section 303 (theft) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) was registered at Sector 24 police station.
In their complaint, the temple officials stated that the thieves broke the main door and stole silver plating and three silver umbrellas from the premises. “About 5.5 kg of silver, worth around ₹11 lakh, was stolen. This is the first time something like this has happened at our temple. It’s rather unfortunate that our cameras broke down three or four days ago,” said Puneet Shukla,vice president of the temple.
Station house officer, Sector 24, Subodh Kumar Tomar said, “The lock was broken late at night and the thieves carried out the theft. We are collecting footage from CCTVs around the temple. The investigation is underway to determine how many people were involved.”
Police said further investigation is underway, Tomar added.