Thrissur (Keralam) | A panchaloha idol was stolen from the Maakkaalikavu Bhagavathy Temple in Kunnamkulam here early Friday morning, police said.
Panchaloha idols are made of an alloy comprising five metals.
The theft came to light when temple priests arrived early in the morning to open the temple, they said.
The stolen idol, weighing around 15 kg, was several years old, police said.
Before committing the theft, the culprit allegedly covered the CCTV camera with a silk cloth to obscure the footage.
The person had also covered his face, making it difficult for police to identify them from the visuals, police said.
Police are examining CCTV footage from nearby areas to trace the suspect.
A team from the Kunnamkulam police station has inspected the temple premises as part of the investigation.
Police said they were also checking people with a history of involvement in idol thefts in temples and those suspected of selling stolen idols to antique dealers.
Police said two theft incidents were reported at other temples at Kaipamangalam and Mannampetta in the district, in which money, deity ornaments and metal lamps were stolen on Thursday.
Police are checking whether all these theft incidents are inter-linked and involve the same person.
