THE KASHI Vishwanath Temple administration has requested the police department to recover stolen gold and silver ornaments from the district treasury. The request follows a High Court directive.
The ornaments were stolen from temple on January 5, 1983 and recovered on January 22, 1983. After that, they were deposited with the district treasury.
Kashi Vishwanath Temple additional chief executive officer Radheshyam Pathak told the Hindustan Times on Wednesday that the temple administration had submitted an application to the authority concerned to get back the ornaments.
“The temple administration has submitted an application to the police in this connection,” he said. He added that the temple administration was also gearing up to file an application to a local court in this regard.
Hearing a PIL filed by former State Minister Shatrudh Prakash on August 29, the High Court directed the authorities concerned to expedite the process of taking back the stolen ornaments from the district treasury.
About 2.55 kg gold from the Jyotirlinga of Lord Shiva, 6 to 9 kg of silver and other ornaments had been stolen on January 5, 1983. The theft had sparked massive demonstrations in Varanasi at that time.
An FIR was lodged with Chauk police station by the then priest Sardaru. Later, the police administration recovered the stolen items and arrested 11 accused, including Markandey Singh of Chakia in Chandauli, district on January 22, 1983.
{{/usCountry}}An FIR was lodged with Chauk police station by the then priest Sardaru. Later, the police administration recovered the stolen items and arrested 11 accused, including Markandey Singh of Chakia in Chandauli, district on January 22, 1983.
{{/usCountry}}A local court, on September 7, 2000, convicted all the culprits of stealing ornaments. The court ordered that the stolen items be handed over to the temple administration. However, there was no progress in the matter till the High Court order of August 29.
Senior Samajwadi Party leader and Citizens’ Forum general secretary Shatrudh Prakash demanded that the temple trust get the stolen items back.