By: Express News ServiceOctober 12, 2025 09:17 PM IST 2 min readThe theft came to light on Saturday morning when local residents and temple staff noticed the missing kalash and alerted the police, officers said.A gold-plated kalash worth approximately Rs 40 lakh was allegedly stolen from the spire of a Jain temple in Northeast Delhi’s Jyoti Nagar late Friday night, police said on Sunday.The theft was captured on CCTV cameras installed at the temple, officers said. A senior police officer said that the kalash (urn), weighing between 25 and 30 kg, was made of copper and laminated with gold. “The accused scaled the temple’s roof using electric wires, reached the spire, and fled after removing the gold-plated urn,” the officer added.The theft came to light on Saturday morning when local residents and temple staff noticed the missing kalash and alerted the police, officers said.On the alleged theft, DCP (Northeast) Ashish Mishra said, “On October 11, information regarding the theft of a kalash from the top of the Jain temple near Durga Puri Chowk was received at Jyoti Nagar police station. Upon reaching the spot, the complainant, Neeraj Jain, a resident of East Jyoti Nagar, said that the kalash installed atop the temple had been stolen by an unknown individual.”Police said the incident occurred while most residents were engaged in Karva Chauth celebrations. CCTV footage showed a man loitering outside the temple around 11:45 pm on Friday before climbing the spire and stealing the urn, officers said.Based on the complaint, a case has been registered under sections 305 (theft) and 331(4) (trespassing) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at Jyoti Nagar police station. “Teams have been deployed to identify and apprehend the culprit. The investigation is underway,” said the DCP.This incident comes just weeks after a similar theft, valued at nearly Rs 1 crore, was reported during a Jain religious event near the Red Fort.Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:Delhi Police