Katihar:
Miscreants stole 'ashtadhatu' idols of Ram and Sita worth Rs one crore from a temple in Katihar district of Bihar during the early hours today.
Falka Station House Officer (SHO) Satyanarayan Rai said, "The idols were around 90 year old and were worshipped by devotees, who thronged the temple at Baretha Thakurbari.
The priest Munna Thakur said he had locked the sanctum sanctorum late last night, but found the locks open when he reached the temple today morning".
The SHO said an FIR has been registered against the unidentified thieves and investigations have started.
He added that the theft could be a handiwork of either antique smugglers as such idols command a high price in the international market, or of local gang of thieves, who melt 'ashtadhatu' idols to extract gold and silver used in making them.