Overview
- Police say the silver crown was taken from the Shri Tulja Bhavani Mata Temple in Talegaon Dabhade around 1:30 am hours after it was ceremonially returned to the idol, and the crown remains unrecovered.
- Earlier on May 23 the same crown was stolen, recovered by Pimpri-Chinchwad police and two men from Uttar Pradesh were arrested before the handover ceremony on June 12.
- Following the second theft authorities registered a new FIR, formed three special teams and are examining CCTV and technical evidence to identify suspects.
- Accounts of the footage vary with police citing two people on camera while other clips reportedly show three entrants who prayed before leaving, and investigators are checking links to the earlier arrests and a nearby attempted theft at Kadjai Mata Temple.
- The repeat loss has angered devotees and local residents, embarrassed police and temple officials after the public handover, and is likely to trigger tighter security checks and scrutiny of policing around the shrine.