Theft at 100-year old Kali Temple in Chattogram

“We believe the thief entered the temple through the space in the ventilator,” said a member of the caretaker’s family

Jewellery and cash have been stolen from Kali Temple in Chattogram that is over a century old.

The incid1ent occurred at some point in the early hours of Sunday at the Sadarghat Kali Temple in Chattogram city, according to the Sebayets (caretakers).

Sana Bhattacharya, a member of a caretaker family, told bdnews24.com that it was the first such incident of theft in the Kali Temple, which was 150 years old.

"A gang of thieves stole a gold crown worn by the Goddess Kali idol that weighed around 46.64 grams, a silver crown, earrings, a chain with a pendant weighing 23.23 grams, a silver garland of human head, another pendant, and cash from the donation box."

According to Sana, the traditional Kali Temple in the city sees a large number of visitors every day. They donate money for the temple at the donation box. Therefore, the amount stolen from the box could be around Tk 70,000.

He said the lock at the main entrance to the temple stood intact and he believed the thieves could have entered the temple through a space for a ventilator on the roof of a room located on the rear side of the temple.

When the temple doors opened around 7am, the caretakers realised a theft had taken place, Sana said.

The caretaker families live behind the main temple in tin-shed rooms. The temple walls have a wooden framed glass ventilator on them which could be reached from the roofs of those rooms.

Kotwali Police Station OC Abdul Karim told bdnews24.com they had inspected the crime scene. "There was no CCTV camera there. They (temple authorities) are filing a case."

Police are investigating the matter seriously, the OC said.