Panchmahal: The Panchmahal district police today apprehended an individual in connection with the burglary at the Mahakali Temple in Pavagadh last month. The accused was arrested, and police recovered six gold necklaces and two gold-plated crowns, valued at ₹78 lakhs, that had been stolen from the temple.

The incident occurred early on October 28, around 1:30 a.m., when the intruder reached the temple by scaling the steep Pavagadh mountain and using a pipe to access the premises. He allegedly attempted to break in through the temple’s door and later through a ventilation opening above the ‘garbha griha.’

The accused, Vidur Chandrasingh Vasava, from Nasarpur in Umarpada taluka of Surat district, told the police during interrogation that this was his first theft. However, the manner in which he entered the temple with tools suggested that the operation was well-planned.

District Superintendent of Police Himanshu Solanki, while explaining the incident, stated that after a complaint regarding the theft of six necklaces and two crowns, an intensive investigation was launched, involving six to seven teams from the district’s LCB, SOG, and other police stations. Technical intelligence also supported the investigation, and CCTV footage from the temple and surrounding areas was examined. While reviewing footage from October 27, LCB officers grew suspicious of a car with a Bharuch registration.

Based on the investigation, police arrested the accused and seized two of the stolen gold necklaces belonging to Mahakali Mataji, along with other items, including six gold necklaces weighing approximately 1 kg each and two gold-plated crowns.

The incident has raised concerns, as the temple is guarded by both private security and State Reserve Police personnel. DeshGujarat