Delhi: A gold-plated kalash (urn) valued at around Rs 40 lakh was reportedly stolen from the spire of a Jain temple in Jyoti Nagar, northeast Delhi, police said on Sunday. The theft was captured on CCTV cameras, and two video clips showing the alleged heist have gone viral on social media.
In one clip, a man is seen descending from a pole within the temple premises carrying the kalash, while another video shows him transporting it under the cover of darkness. The incident occurred during the night between Friday and Saturday, when many residents were engaged in Karva Chauth celebrations.
The stolen kalash, made of ‘asth-dhatu’—an auspicious alloy of eight metals—had been installed atop the temple several years ago and contained roughly 200 grams of gold. The theft was reported to Jyoti Nagar police station on Saturday morning by temple staff after noticing the missing kalash. The complainant, Neeraj Jain, 58, president of the temple committee, said the urn had been stolen by an unidentified individual.
Police have formed special teams and are using technical surveillance to track the suspect. This is the second theft involving Jain ceremonial items in two months. Earlier, on September 3, three gold items worth approximately Rs 1.5 crore were stolen during a religious procession near the Red Fort attended by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, and arrests were made in connection with that case in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh.
Members of the Jain community expressed deep distress over the incident. Priyank Jain, vice president of the Jyoti Nagar Jain Temple, said, “Our temples must be kept safe so that devotees can pray in peace. We are hopeful the stolen kalash will be recovered soon.” Former temple president Rajesh Jain added that senior police officials, including the DCP, ACP, and SHO, are personally monitoring the investigation and providing regular updates.
The police confirmed that the investigation is ongoing.
