Nearly two weeks after a two-and-a-half-foot emerald idol of Lord Balamurugan Dhandayuthapani Swamy was stolen from the Sri Maragatha Bala Dhandayuthapani Murugan Temple near Madurantakam in Chengalpattu district, police have recovered the idol and detained three men in connection with the theft, as reported in The New Indian Express.
The idol was found buried at an abandoned quarry located around one kilometre from the temple, according to the Chithamur police. The three men, who are from Ariyalur district, were detained by a police team on Sunday and questioned about their alleged involvement in the theft.
Police said none of the three suspects had previous criminal cases against them. Investigators are questioning them to determine whether more people were involved and whether the stolen idol had been taken with the intention of finding a buyer.
The suspects were expected to be formally arrested and produced before a magistrate on Monday after completion of the necessary procedures.
The recovery followed an extensive investigation into the theft. Special police teams examined footage from more than 100 CCTV cameras in the area and questioned over 20 habitual offenders as part of efforts to identify those responsible.
According to a police official, investigators noticed suspicious activity near the abandoned quarry on Sunday morning. When police reached the spot, they found the three men there. Their subsequent questioning led investigators to the location where the idol had allegedly been concealed.
🙏 Lord Murugan’s Emerald Idol Recovered
A remarkable recovery has brought relief to devotees of Nadu Palani.
The approximately 2½-foot-tall emerald idol of Lord Dhandayuthapani (Bala Murugan), stolen on 1 September 2026 from the Arulmigu Maragatha Dhandayuthapani Temple at… pic.twitter.com/HBHamhWArp
— Brahmin (GC) Political Party (@Deva_Party) September 13, 2026
The temple, situated on a hilltop at Perungaranai and popularly known as Nadu Palani, is administered by a private trust. The sanctum sanctorum is secured by three iron doors and the premises are equipped with CCTV cameras and an alarm system.
The theft took place during the night of September 1. Police suspect that the burglars first disabled the temple’s alarm system and interfered with the CCTV cameras before gaining entry into the sanctum. The emerald idol, along with silver articles, was then allegedly taken from the temple.
Temple authorities noticed the theft the following morning and informed the police. The Chithamur police registered a case, including provisions relating to the theft of an idol or icon from a place of worship, and formed special teams to investigate the incident.
The idol’s present value has not yet been established, police said. An earlier statement from the department said the emerald idol was installed at the temple in 2008 through the Mysuru-based Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji Trust. At the time of installation, it was valued at approximately ₹3 lakh.
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