Balasore: Nilgiri police have arrested a 50-year-old man from Uttar Pradesh for allegedly being associated with an inter-state idol smuggling racket.

Suresh Yadav from of Etah district in Uttar Pradesh was allegedly involved in the theft of an 11-century-old idol from the Marichi temple at Ayodhya in Nilgiri police limits on December 26.

The police said four other accused, including a man from Banapur, were still at large, and search for the idol was on. The police did not want to reveal the identities of the accused.

"The accused was apprehended from Etah district following raids after a tip-off. The other accused persons are still at large. The idol is supposedly in their possession," Nilgiri police station inspector-in-charge Ramesh Singh said. "Yadav has been brought on remand from Uttar Pradesh and would be produced in court. The crime was committed in association with a man from Banapur, who had earlier been arrested in an idol theft case at Nischintakoili, Cuttack," he said.

During interrogation, the police learnt that Yadav was the mastermind behind the theft. He, too, had spent time in jail in a different idol theft case.

The members of the gang stole idols and antiques and sold them to interested parties. Yadav and his gang came in contact with the Banapur man when he worked at a lock-manufacturing unit at Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh.

On the night of December 26, the accused broke a wall and entered the temple's sanctum sanctorum, from where they stole the black granite idol of Bajra Varahi, which is around two-and-a-half feet high and weighs 70kg.

"Buddhists worshipped Bajra Vairahi. In 2014, another antique idol Bajra Tara had been stolen from the same temple premises, and it is yet to be traced," said research scholar and Ayodhya resident Anurag Mohapatra.

"The temple as well as the idols need protection. At Ayodhya, more than 200 antiques are missing now. The temple is now left with antique idols of Marichi, Vajrapani-Manjushree and Chintamani Lokesvara or Avalokitesvara. A serious investigation should be carried out," he said.

"The idols have been worshipped at Ayodhya village since 11th century after they had been installed by the then ruler, Bhuyan Sardar. They were placed inside the Marichi temple after its construction at Ayodhya in 1540 by the royal family of Nilgiri. The idol stolen is priceless," said Jayant Mardaraj, a descendent of the royal family.