Delhi 'kalash' theft: one held from Hapur, golden urn recovered

Delhi Police have arrested one person from Uttar Pradesh's Hapur and recovered the gold kalash (urn) that was stolen during a religious ceremony held near the Red Fort in New Delhi, officials said on Monday.

Made of 760 grams of gold and embedded with 150 grams of diamonds, rubies and emeralds, the kalash, said to be worth around Rs 1 crore, was stolen during a Jain religious event near the Red Fort on 3 September.

The case is being probed jointly by a team from north district and the Crime Branch. A team was dispatched to Hapur based on leads and the accused, Bhushan Verma, was intercepted and taken into custody, police said. "The stolen kalash was also recovered at his instance," a senior officer said, adding that the accused is being brought to Delhi for questioning.

Verma's background, his accomplices and the motive behind the theft are being looked into, police said.

The complaint in the case was filed by Sudhir Jain, a businessman and a resident of Civil Lines. The event from where the kalash was stolen began on 28 August and is scheduled to conclude on 9 September. Jain told police that he brought the kalash with him every day for the rituals.

According to the police, the accused stole the vessel when people were busy welcoming Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.

Investigators said Verma had conducted prior reconnaissance at the venue, posing as a devotee clad in traditional dhoti-kurta and blending in with the crowd before executing the theft.

"The theft occurred on 3 September during the Daslakshan Mahaparv — a 10-day Jain religious event. Initial interrogation has confirmed that one kalash has been recovered at Verma's instance. However, investigation suggested that as many as three more may have been stolen, with the total value potentially exceeding Rs 1.5 crore. Efforts are on to track down the remaining items and arrest any accomplices," said the police source.