A man was tied to a pole and thrashed after stolen Durga idol faces were allegedly recovered from his shop in West Bengal's Asansol.
The faces of two Durga idols were allegedly stolen from a workshop of sculptor Bapi Pal and recovered from a nearby workshop of Pritam Thakur.
Thakur, a resident of Bihar, was then tied to an electric pole and thrashed before police rushed to the spot and took him into custody.
Bapi Pal his idol moulds are unique, and no one else has access to them.
"This theft was an act of jealousy and malice. One of these idols was supposed to be delivered to a Puja committee tomorrow," he said.
Police are interrogating the accused to determine whether the theft was driven by professional rivalry, personal enmity, or part of a larger conspiracy.
Durga Puja is Bengal's biggest festival. This year, the festivities will begin with the advent of Devi Paksha on the day of Mahalaya, September 21, and the main celebrations will take place from September 28 (Mahasasthi) to October 2 (Maha Dasahmi).
