Monkey-Masked Thief Hits Historic Temple, Steals Silver Canopy

A historic temple in Barabanki's Haidergarh area was the target of a daring burglary late Tuesday night. Unidentified thieves gained entry by breaking the lock on the temple's channel gate and proceeded to the sanctum sanctorum. They pilfered a silver canopy, silver plating from ritual vessels, and other precious puja items, totaling an estimated 7-8kg in weight and valued at approximately Rs 25 lakh. The incident came to light on Wednesday morning when the temple priest arrived to begin daily rituals and discovered the extensive damage and missing items, including cash from the donation box which was also smashed.

Preliminary investigations by the Haidergarh police and a forensic team suggest one of the culprits may have worn a monkey mask. CCTV footage from the temple and surrounding areas is under review as authorities intensify their efforts to apprehend the perpetrators. This incident occurs amidst a worrying escalation of temple thefts in the district, with another case of stolen puja materials reported on the same morning from a temple in the Baddupur police station area, underscoring a broader pattern of such crimes over the past month.