Eight members of a family have been arrested for allegedly stealing a Shivling from the Bheedbhanjan Mahadev temple of Harshad in Dwarka and consecrating it in their home on Mahashivratri, following a dream experienced by a girl in the family, police said on Saturday.
Officials initially suspected the Shivling had been thrown into the sea after it was discovered missing.
However, investigations led to a family from Himmatnagar in Sabarkantha district, located 500 kilometres away, who had reportedly stolen it.
According to a preliminary inquiry, a girl from the family had a dream in which she believed that bringing the temple’s Shivling to their house and consecrating it would resolve their problems and bring prosperity.
Acting on this belief, Mahendra Makwana’s niece shared her vision with the family, prompting them to plan the theft.
Seven to eight family members travelled to Dwarka, where they stayed for a few days to survey the temple. They later stole the Shivling and transported it back to their home, installing it on Mahashivratri.
Dwarka Superintendent of Police Nitish Pandey confirmed the arrests, stating, “We have arrested all the eight accused. Mahendra’s niece had a dream that if they established Harshad’s Bheedbhanjan Mahadev’s Shivling in their house, it would bring good fortune and the family would progress. All the family members together made a plan and implemented it.”
Among those arrested were Mahendra Makwana, Vanraj, Manoj and Jagat, along with three women from the family.
The police recovered the stolen Shivling and restored it to its original place at the temple in Dwarka.
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