A tourist from West Bengal was detained in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang district after allegedly stealing sacred items from two religious sites, including the renowned Tawang Monastery, police said on Thursday.
Tawang Deputy Superintendent of Police Kato Tasso said the 54-year-old man was identified and apprehended after CCTV footage of the alleged theft circulated widely on social media.
According to the police, a Buddha idol was taken from the Tawang Monastery — the largest monastery in the country — while a pair of Tingsha cymbals and two metal butter lamps were stolen from the Giant Buddha Statue Park.
“The footage showed the tourist taking a Buddha idol and other sacred articles from the premises, following which an investigation was launched,” the officer said.
Police tracked down the accused on Wednesday morning and recovered all the stolen items from his possession. The articles were estimated to be worth between Rs 15,000 and Rs 20,000, the DSP said.
However, no formal case was registered as the Buddha Park Gompa administration chose not to pursue legal action after the items were recovered. The caretaker monk and the management pardoned the tourist after he assured them that such an act would not be repeated, the officer said.
Police also obtained a written undertaking from the tourist admitting his mistake and promising not to repeat the behaviour. He was warned of legal consequences and advised to respect religious sentiments at sacred places, the officer added.
The man had arrived in Tawang with his wife on March 2 for a vacation.