Stolen panchaloha idols from Udupi temple recovered hours after theft
Udupi (Karnataka), Mar 13 (PTI): Panchaloha idols stolen from the Sri Rama Temple in Udupi district were recovered near a riverbank just hours after the theft, police said on Thursday.
Unidentified miscreants broke into the temple late Tuesday night and made away with sacred idols of Lord Rama, Sita, Lakshmana, and Hanuman, along with the temple's donation box, police said.
However, the stolen items were mysteriously abandoned near a riverside, leading to their swift recovery, police added.
The burglary came to light early Wednesday morning when temple staff arrived for daily rituals and discovered the break-in. The police were immediately alerted, and an investigation was launched, police said.
A tracker dog squad traced the thieves’ movements to a riverside nearly 600 meters from the temple, where an ornament was found.
Expert divers were then deployed, leading to the recovery of the idols and the donation box from the water, a senior police officer said.
The investigation is ongoing, with efforts underway to identify and apprehend those responsible for the break-in, police said.
A case has been registered at Kota Police Station, and further investigations are in progress, they added.
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PM Modi holds bilateral talks with several leaders
New Delhi (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday held talks with top leaders of Mauritius, Sri Lanka and Slovakia with a focus on shoring up bilateral cooperation in trade and technology sectors.
He also held a meeting with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and discussed how the global body can play a "constructive role" in making use of artificial intelligence inclusive.
Modi met Guterres and other leaders on the sidelines of the AI Impact Summit.
We talked about making AI all inclusive and how the UN can play a constructive role in this regard, the prime minister said on his talks with the UN chief.
"Reiterated India's support towards any effort aimed at harnessing AI for a better planet. We also exchanged perspectives on UN reforms, especially giving greater voice to the Global South," he said on social media.
Following his talks with Mauritius Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam, Modi said both sides will continue to work in close cooperation to ensure regional security and prosperity.
"Delighted to meet Prime Minister of Mauritius, Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam. Reaffirmed our shared commitment to take our enhanced Strategic Partnership to new heights in AI, technology, culture and people-to-people ties," he said.
Modi also described Mauritius as a vital partner in India's MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) vision.
On his meeting with Sri Lankan president Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the prime minister said: "We took stock of the progress in India-Sri Lanka relations in the recent times."
"We also discussed avenues of cooperation in areas such as energy, connectivity, infrastructure, healthcare, skilling, culture, blue economy and more," he added.
Modi said he and Slovak President Peter Pellegrini discussed bilateral cooperation in areas of defence, space and digital public infrastructure.
My meeting with Peter Pellegrini, President of the Slovak Republic was "very productive", the prime minister said on social media.
"The recent India-EU FTA will create several opportunities to boost trade and investment between our nations. Other subjects we discussed included cooperation in digital technology, StartUps, Digital Public Infrastructure, defence, space and more," he said.
