Urn worth Rs 1 cr stolen from religious ceremony, incident caught on CCTV

A gold and gemstone-studded kalash (urn) worth Rs 1 crore was stolen from a Jain religious ceremony organised in front of the Red Fort in Central Delhi.

The incident took place between 9.20 am and 10 am on September 3 when there was a huge rush of devotees at the pandal set up at the 15 August Park.

A Delhi Police official said a case had been registered on the complaint of businessman Sudhir Kumar Jain. The complainant told the police that he brought the kalash to the pandal for the rituals. It suddenly disappeared during the event.

“Sudhir Jain, a businessman, used to regularly bring the kalash for rituals. It disappeared from the stage in the middle of the programme on Tuesday,” the police said.

The entire theft was captured in the CCTV footage and the police have identified the suspect, who came disguised as a Jain priest. The footage shows him walking out with a bag, apparently containing stolen valuables, on his shoulder.

Punit Jain, brother of Sudhir Jain, alleged that the accused had committed similar thefts in the past. The event was attended by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. The valuables were stolen after he left the premises.

The stolen items include a big gold kalash and a coconut, whose total weight is about 760 grams. Apart from this, a small kalash had also been stolen, which was studded with diamonds, rubies and emeralds. It weighed about 115 grams and was kept in a maroon velvet box. The estimated value of the stolen items is around Rs 1 crore.

The police said they had managed to zero in on a suspect while scanning the CCTV footage. “The police have identified the suspect and have expressed the possibility of his arrest soon,” the official said.

The religious ceremony of the Jain community will continue till September 9.