A precious ‘Maragatha Lingam’, which was stolen from a hill temple in Vettavalam in Tiruvannamalai district, was left abandoned near the Zamin Palace on Wednesday evening. The Sri Manomaniamman Temple belongs to the ‘Vettavalam Zamin’. Along with the ‘Maragatha Lingam’, other temple jewellery also went missing in January 2017.
While the police were investigating the case, a temple staff attached to the Zamin found the idol abandoned in the midst of garbage. The temple staff relocated it to the temple and also informed Vettavalam police, who took possession of the idol for investigation.
Inspector General of Police (Idol Wing) Ponn Manickavel took a survey of the temple premises on Thursday. He, along with senior officials of the Idol Wing Police, inspected the idol and also made inquiries with temple priests, senior police officials and temple trustee Mahendra Pandariar.
Every year, the emerald lingam would be brought to the temple during the Tamil month of Margazhi (December 16 to January 15) for pooja and worship.
On January 9, 2017, the idol was brought to the temple from the zamindar’s palace and kept in the ‘sanctum sanctorum’ for pooja. But burglars stole it from its place.
Vettavalam police said the idol has been handed over to the idol wing police as per the procedures and further investigations are on.