A group of thieves broke into the ancient Sri Devaki Krishna Ravalnath Temple near Farangipete in Bantwal Taluk, stealing gold and silver artifacts valued at lakhs of rupees. The break-in, which occurred early Monday morning (Nov 4), was captured on CCTV.

According to reports, the thieves made off with silver items weighing around 1.5 kg and three gold ornaments weighing a total of 3 sovereigns, including the deity’s sacred nose ring and umbrella, alongside an estimated Rs 10,000 from the offering box. These relics, some crafted by elders centuries ago, hold significant historical value.

The CCTV footage reveals a five-member gang arriving around 3:30 a.m. and entering through the rear door after breaking the latch. They scouted the temple premises before sneaking into the inner sanctum, where they collected the silver pedestal and gold ornaments in a bag. The thieves, some carrying weapons, were seen exiting with the stolen valuables around 4:00 a.m.

Despite the residence of the temple priest being within the compound, the thieves boldly proceeded with the robbery. The priest’s guard dog alerted him by barking, prompting him to check the CCTV feed, where he saw three armed intruders inside. Notified immediately, the temple manager and staff arrived, but the culprits had already fled by then.

Following the incident, Bantwal Police Inspector Shivakumar, along with SIs Harish and Murthy, arrived on the scene with a canine squad and forensic experts to conduct a thorough investigation.