BHUBANESWAR: Police in Odisha’s Jagatsinghpur district have made a significant breakthrough in the theft at the famous Maa Charchika Temple with the arrest of the prime suspect, Sheikh Nabab. After an intensive investigation lasting nearly one and a half months, the police not only apprehended the accused but also recovered a substantial quantity of the stolen sacred gold and silver ornaments, along with other incriminating materials.
The theft occurred on the night of November 27 at the Maa Charchika Devi Temple, located near New Court Chowk in the Charchika Bazaar area of Jagatsinghpur town. The burglars executed the crime in a highly planned manner, cutting the CCTV camera wires, disrupting the power supply, and breaking open the steel gate on the right side of the temple using iron rods. They then forced open the inner sanctum door and removed the deity’s valuable ornaments.
The stolen items included the deity’s crown, gold eyes and eyelids, a large silver crown, a vermilion container, and several other sacred ornaments.
On the morning of November 28, temple priest Kumar Prafulla Nayak discovered that all the gold and silver ornaments were missing when he arrived for daily pooja rituals and immediately informed the police. A team rushed to the scene and began an investigation with the assistance of sniffer dogs. Footage from more than 50 CCTV cameras in and around the area was reviewed, but no immediate leads were identified during the initial phase.
Based on sustained technical analysis, human intelligence, and local surveillance, Biridi police detained Sheikh Nabab, a resident of Galupada, for questioning. During interrogation, he confessed to his involvement in the temple theft. Acting on his disclosure, police recovered stolen property from behind his house, including five large brass plates, four clocks, six bells, four pairs of silver eyes, silver lips, a nose, a crown, five mobile phones, two passports, ATM cards, and a motorcycle purchased with the stolen proceeds.
Police further revealed that some of the stolen ornaments had been concealed by the accused’s wife in the Pir Bazaar area of Jagatpur. Anticipating arrest, the accused’s wife and one of his associates are currently at large.
Additional Superintendent of Police Satyabrata Das and other senior officials stated that the investigation has also established the accused’s involvement in several prior temple thefts and burglaries in the district. Police teams are conducting continuous raids to apprehend the absconding suspects and recover the remaining stolen property. Further investigation into the case is ongoing.
