Sai Baba’s silver throne stolen from Shimla temple, cops had cracked similar theft 3 years ago

Shimla: Thieves broke into a Sai Baba temple in Himachal Pradesh capital Shimla and stole a silver throne weighing nearly 1 kg. The theft, which occurred on the night of March 3, has left devotees distressed.

Along with the throne, the thieves also took a silver crown and other decorative items from the temple.
The police have registered a case under IPC Sections 380 (theft) and 457 (house trespass for theft) and launched an investigation.

Masked thieves caught on CCTV

According to the police, the incident took place around 12.50 am when two masked thieves broke into the temple by forcing open the main lock.

The thieves swiftly executed the crime and fled with the stolen items. Their movements were partially captured on CCTV cameras installed at the temple.

Investigators are analysing the footage to identify the culprits. The complaint was filed by Vinay Chandla, a resident of Sandal Chakkar in Shimla.

Not the first theft at the temple

This is not the first time the Sai Baba temple has been targeted by thieves. Three years ago, a similar incident occurred, with burglars stealing silver ornaments and other valuable items.

However, the police had successfully traced the culprits and recovered the stolen goods. Devotees are now concerned about the recurrence of such incidents and have urged the authorities to enhance temple security.

Following the theft, the Boileauganj police have intensified their investigation. Officers are questioning local residents, shopkeepers and other possible witnesses.

A search operation has been launched and police officials have assured that the culprits would be nabbed soon. Meanwhile, temple authorities are considering additional security measures, including the installation of more surveillance cameras and hiring security personnel.

Sunil Chadha