Thieves attempt to loot temple in Howrah, flee through river to evade police

A major robbery attempt at the ancient Vishalaxmi Mata temple in Kharda Bamanpara, Munshihat, was foiled late Sunday night due to timely action by Jagatballavpur police. The incident created widespread sensation in the area after four miscreants fled dramatically by jumping into a nearby river to escape arrest.

According to reports, the criminals entered the temple’s sanctum sanctorum under cover of darkness, broke open the donation box and collected cash along with gold ornaments belonging to the deity. Their movements, however, drew the attention of a patrolling police team stationed in the area. As the police began to cordon off the temple premises after noticing suspicious activity, the accused realised they had been detected. In a bid to evade arrest, they abandoned the stolen jewellery and cash at the spot and ran towards the riverbank adjoining the temple before jumping into the water.

Soon after the incident, a large number of local residents gathered at the temple. Villagers praised the police for their alertness, which prevented the loss of valuable and ancient temple assets. Police have seized the recovered items and launched an extensive search operation in the river and nearby bushy areas, expressing confidence that the accused will be arrested soon.