AUG 18 - NUWAKOT,
An ancient idol was stolen from the historic Bhairavi Temple in Bidur Municipality-3 on Saturday.
The smugglers broke the lock on the front gate and fled with the stone idol and other artifacts. Priest Hariman Singh Dangol said the idol, its Mukut (crown), some ornaments and a donation box were stolen.
The idol was stolen taking advantage of a powercut in the area for the maintenance of a transformer at Nepal Electricity Authority’s Trishuli Sub-station.
Bhairavi Temple, which is located atop a hill near the historic seven-storey Nuwakot Palace, is one of the important and famous shrines built some 500 years ago. Late king Birendra Shah had visited the temple in 2001 and had ordered that the old crown of the idol be replaced with a new one.
The temple is at a distance of just about 60 metres from Nepal Army (NA)’s security base camp established for the security of Nuwakot palace.
Local residents expressed their anger over the incident and blamed security deployed in the area for failing to save the artifacts from being stolen.
Assistant Chief District Officer Tirtha Bahadur Adhikari said that an investigation is underway to arrest the people behind the robbery of the idol and other artificats from the temple.
He said a large number of security personnel have been deployed to find the stolen idol and ornaments.
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