Thawe Temple Theft: Accused Injured in Police Encounter as Part of Goddess’s Crown Recovered

Gopalganj: An alleged accomplice in the high-profile theft at the Thawe Bhawani temple in Bihar’s Gopalganj district was injured during a police encounter early on Saturday, as police investigators claimed a significant breakthrough with the recovery of a portion of the stolen crown.

According to police, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by the Sadar sub-divisional police officer launched a raid near Riki Tola in the Thawe police station area following a tip-off that a member of the gang was in possession of stolen temple property. During the operation, the suspect allegedly opened fire on the police team.

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Officers first issued warnings, police said, but retaliated in self-defence when the firing continued. The accused, identified as Izmamul Alam, 21, was shot in the leg and taken into custody in an injured condition. He was later shifted for medical treatment.

Gopalganj superintendent of police (SP) Awadhesh Dixit said the raid led to the recovery of a mobile phone and “important parts” of the crown of Goddess Thawe Bhawani, one of the most revered shrines in the region. The crown fragment had reportedly been hidden around 1.5km from the temple after the theft and was being retrieved when police intervened.

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Police said Alam, who is originally from Motihari district and had been living in Bhojpur, was captured on CCTV footage entering the temple along with the gang’s alleged mastermind, Deepak Rai, who was arrested earlier. Investigators claim Alam has disclosed details about the entire network, including how the theft was carried out and where the remaining jewellery may be concealed.

The theft, which took place on December 17, involved ornaments and valuables estimated at Rs 1.08 crore. Authorities have said raids are continuing to trace other suspects and recover the remaining items, adding that the latest development has brought them closer to fully cracking the case.