CBI to assist police in Rajarappa temple-theft probe

A CBI team has arrived at Rajarappa to assist the police in probing the theft of jewelleries and damage to the idol with the investigators not ruling out Maoist 'involvement' in the sacrilege.

A CBI team has arrived at Rajarappa to assist the police in probing the theft of jewelleries and damage to the idol with the investigators not ruling out Maoist 'involvement' in the sacrilege.

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"A CBI team on Monday came from Kolkata. On Tuesday sniffer dogs trailed along the Damodar river and reached as far as Mahuadand block in Bokaro district, a Maoist-den. So we cannot rule out that (Maoist) angle too," a senior police officer said in Hazirabagh.

Unknown men had broken the idol of 'Chinmastika' and looted jewelleries of the temple on July 2, triggering widespread protests, including a day-long statewide bandh.

BJP leader Yashwant Sinha had contributed Rs 2.1 lakh even as temple authorities arranged to re-instal a new idol, which has been readied by a sculptor from Jaipur, on July 16.

The temple authorities said the kalas-sthapana might take place on Wednesday.

Puja at the temple has been stopped since the incident.