After theft, Himachal govt mulls trust for Raghunath temple

MANALI: Two-and-half months after theft at the historical Raghunath Temple in Kullu, Himachal Pradesh government is now considering to form a trust for the temple to ensure its security, proper maintenance and management.
The main idol of Lord Raghunath and four other idols were found missing after the theft, and the stolen articles were later recovered on January 23.During investigations it was found that the temple did not have CCTV cameras, and there were no other security arrangements as well. The temple security as of now is the responsibility of the royal family of Kullu.
Chief minister Virbhadra Singh visited the temple on Friday to seek blessings of Lord Raghunath, the head deity of Kullu valley. "Himachal has many historical temples which possess treasure of our rich and ancient culture. These temples need to be protected at any cost," he said. Singh said that some temples in the state are already being run by trusts and have proper security arrangements. "Government will consider forming a trust for Raghunath Temple as well."
The chief minister also honoured the teams of policemen who successfully cracked the case and recovered all the idols and ornaments. The kingpin of the case was a Nepali who is still in Nepal. The CM said that the country should have an extradition treaty with Nepal as many Nepalese are accused of temple thefts in Himachal and need to be arrested. "India don't have an extradition treaty with Nepal and we cannot bring the accused to our country to face trial. The state government will talk to the Union government regarding this matter," he added.
Chhadivdar (prime servant) of Lord Raghunath and Kullu MLA Maheshwar Singh requested the chief minister to frame strict regulations for registration of thousands of workers who migrate to Himachal every year. "Outsiders are found to be involved in many illegal activities in the state. The matter of extradition of Raghunath temple theft accused should be taken up with the central government as soon as possible," he said.