Kanpur: Around 25 brass bells weighing nearly 50 kilograms were stolen from the sanctum sanctorum of the historic Shri Auleshwar temple in Karchulipur village in Bhitargaon town around midnight on Friday, sparking anger among villagers and devotees.The theft came to light on Saturday morning when nearby villagers and regular devotees arrived for darshan and worship and found cut chains lying on the floor. The thieves allegedly used a cutter to sever the bells and chains before fleeing.Devotees informed temple caretaker Ramesh, who alerted police. Police inspected the premises, collected evidence and began searching the surrounding areas. Investigators are examining footage from nearby CCTV cameras and other possible clues to trace the thieves.The Shri Auleshwar temple, considered a Mahabharata-era site, is under archaeological protection.
