The Nepal Weekly 
January 25, 2022
An approximately 300 years idol of Balkumari temple at Sunakothi of Lalitpur Metropolitan City-27 has been stolen Sunday morning. The stolen idol is a two feet high and one and a half feet wide and made of brass.
The priest of the temple had found the doors and locks broken and the idol of the deity was missing. He was on his duty at 4 o’clock for daily worship. He informed the people’s representatives and the police immediately. It is said that there was activities till the midnight there in the temple area that night. So, it is estimated that the theft may have taken place between 3 and 4 this morning.
Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Pampha Bhusal, State Assembly Member Rajkaji Maharjan, Chief District Officer of Lalitpur Ghanshyam Upadhyay, and a police team have inspected the site. Minister Bhusal had directed to immediately search for the culprit and take action against the culprit. She said, “Condemning this heinous act, I have directed the administration to immediately find the culprits and search for the statue. We believe that the historical and archaeological statue will be found soon.” Similarly, police said that the search operation has been intensified. The idol of the deity is taken out for celebrating festival in the full moon in April for 3 days every year. The temple of Balkumari belongs to the one of the richest Guthi in the Kathmandu Valley. It has been associated to 600 families.
