Residents of the Dive Agar village in Raigad staged a morcha on Saturday to protest the lack of progress in the robbery at the Suvarnaganesh temple last month. They have also threatened that they will sit on an indefinite hunger strike from Sunday to pressure the police into action.
The police said that the protesting villagers’ chief demand was that the stolen idol, which has great religious and historical significance, be recovered soon, as its theft has affected them in many ways.
“The villagers were angry about the lack of progress in the case and demanded faster action. The 300-strong mob stood outside the Dighi Coastal police station for several hours before it could be pacified and dispersed. We assured them that we were doing all we could do,” said an officer with the Raigad police.
The temple was robbed by two unidentified assailants on March 24, who then made away with the 24-karat Ganesh idol and its adornments. The robbery was significant due to its religious value rather than the monetary value.
“Morale has been low among the deeply devout residents of Dive Agar, who have taken it as an ill omen and the more superstitious keep living in fear of some terrible tragedy befalling the village. Besides, the devotees who thronged the temple also provided livelihood to many of the villagers, who earned money by selling flowers, food, etc to the visiting devotees. This, too, has taken a hit and is one of the reasons behind the villagers’ angst,” the officer added.
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