Varanasi — A major theft was reported last night at the Kali Mata temple in Kuar Bazaar, under Phoolpur Police Station area of Varanasi, where burglars broke the lock and stole valuables worth over ₹1 lakh. The stolen items included gold and silver ornaments, raising serious concerns as this is the second theft at the temple within the past nine months.
Theft Discovered in the Morning
According to reports, the temple priest, Kali Prasad, closed the premises around 9 PM on Monday night. On Tuesday morning, Palatu Prajapati, who helps with temple cleaning, found the main gate’s lock cut with a cutter. Upon entering, he discovered that several items were missing — including a silver crown from the idol, a gold nose ring, small gold rings offered to the deity, a trident, and the donation box.
The priest was immediately informed, and soon after, a large crowd of locals gathered at the site. Devotees expressed deep anger, pointing out the temple’s religious importance to people in the surrounding villages.
Police and Forensic Team Begin Probe
On receiving the information, Inspector Praveen Kumar Singh, Chowki In-charge Amit Pandey, and a forensic team reached the spot to begin investigations. Some villagers demanded that a dog squad be deployed to track the culprits.
The priest estimated the value of the stolen property at over ₹1 lakh. With this being the second theft in less than a year, locals have raised serious questions over police patrolling and security arrangements in the area.
Local Anger, Police Assurance
Residents have urged authorities to increase night patrols around temples and nearby localities to prevent such incidents. Police have assured that the culprits will be arrested soon and efforts are underway to recover the stolen valuables.
