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Moneycontrol•03-09-2026, 10:36
Emerald Murugan Idol Worth Crores Stolen from Madurantakam Temple Despite 3-Layer Security
  • •A rare 2¼-foot-tall emerald idol of Lord Murugan, valued at crores, was stolen from Tamil Nadu's Maragadha Bala Dhandayuthapani Murugan Temple.
  • •The theft occurred in the early hours of Wednesday, with temple priests and administrators discovering the disappearance later that morning.
  • •Despite three iron doors, security sirens, and CCTV cameras, two unidentified individuals managed to break into the sanctum sanctorum.
  • •The thieves climbed a statue to access a rear entrance, disconnected security alarms, and spray-painted CCTV cameras to evade detection.
  • •Chithamur police have launched an investigation and formed two special teams to apprehend the culprits who fled around 1:30 am.

Key Question Answered

The thieves bypassed the temple's security by climbing onto a massive statue installed behind the temple to reach the rear entrance. From there, they made their way inside and managed to cross the three iron security doors to reach the sanctum sanctorum. To prevent their movements and identities from being captured, they sprayed paint on the CCTV cameras before fleeing with the idol.