The incident came to light when a staff had gone to open the centuries-old temple last evening and noticed the grill gate broken open, they said.
Immediately, she informed her husband Packirisami, who also works at the place of worship, who inturn informed the villagers.
Later, they all had entered the temple premises and found an iron box containing the 20-kg bronze idol stolen.
The idol is worth several lakhs, police added.
The villagers said the idol was earlier kept in the Sivan temple in Marungapallam village till 1974.