Devotees in Sirmaur's Sainj Dhar region woke to a major temple burglary on yesterday after thieves escaped with an estimated 18-kg silver palanquin, cash and gold ornaments from the historic Ganesh Temple at Kotla Molar Panchayat. The meticulously executed theft has shocked the local community and raised concerns over the security of religious institutions in the district.

According to the temple committee, the burglars decamped with the 18-kg silver palanquin, nearly Rs.40,000 in cash offered by devotees and a pair of gold earrings adorning the idol of Lord Ganesha. Temple records show that the silver and gold ornaments, along with the cash stolen, have a combined purchase value of around Rs.16 lakh. However, local residents estimate that, considering the sharp rise in precious metal prices, the stolen valuables would now be worth around Rs.40 lakh.

Police said the burglary appeared to have been carefully planned. Before entering the temple, the accused allegedly cut the wires of all four CCTV cameras installed on the premises and took away the digital video recorder (DVR), apparently to destroy crucial evidence. They then forced open the temple's main entrance and an almirah before fleeing with the valuables.

The theft came to light on Thursday morning when the temple was opened for daily prayers. The temple committee immediately alerted the police, following which a team rushed to the spot and launched an investigation.

Given the seriousness of the case, forensic and fingerprint experts were called to examine the crime scene and collect scientific evidence. Police are also scanning nearby areas and pursuing multiple leads to identify those responsible.

Sirmaur Superintendent of Police Nishchint Singh Negi said the investigation was progressing on multiple fronts. "This is a serious offence, and we are investigating every lead with the help of scientific and forensic evidence. A forensic team and fingerprint experts have examined the crime scene, and we are confident that all those involved in the theft will be identified and put behind bars at the earliest," the SP said.

Temple Committee president Arjun Thakur described the incident as a major blow to the faith of devotees and appealed to the authorities to ensure the early recovery of the stolen religious artefacts.