Robbers decamped with jewelleries and valuables from a 500-year-old at seaside Ramnagar village in Kendrapara district.
The miscreants broke into the sanctum sanctorum of the Ramachandi temple late last night. The temple trust board office was also unlocked by the robbers to make off with the temples valuables, police said.
The temple priest spotted the place of worship being vandalised by miscreants during this morning, they said.
The police have quizzed a section of the temple priests, temple management members besides locals. Police are not ruling out 'insider' involvement, they said.
Forensic teams have already conducted an initial probe and sniffer dogs have been pressed into service to nab the robbers, said Additional Superintendent of Police, Bikash Chandra Dash.
A dozen of unguarded temples have been burgled in past one year in Kendrapara district. An antique idol valued at about Rs one crore and other valuables were stolen from the Dadhibabanjew temple in Choudkulat village in the district in March, 2017.
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