A golden ‘kalash’ (urn) and other valuables worth at least ₹1.5 crore were stolen from Red Fort premises during a Jain ceremony, a police officer said on Saturday, adding that the accused has been identified and efforts are under way to nab him.
The stolen items include an artificial coconut made of gold weighing over 760 grams, a 115-gram gold chain studded with diamonds, emeralds, and rubies.
“The incident took place on September 3 during a Jain community event. A devotee had brought a golden kalash adorned with precious gems for the rituals, and it was stolen during the event,” DCP (North) Raja Banthia said.
The stolen kalash belonged to Sudhir Jain, a businessman based in Delhi. “It is not about the value of the stolen item but the sentiments attached to it,” Mr. Jain told the media.
A CCTV footage of the incident shared on social media shows the accused dressed as a Jain priest joining the ‘Das Lakshan Parva’ ceremony held on Wednesday at the Red Fort ground.
“According to the complaint, the items were stolen when the organisers stepped away from the stage area to welcome the dignitaries,” said the officer.
As per the initial probe, the accused had attempted at least thrice before to steal ornaments from Jain temples.
Published – September 07, 2025 12:40 am IST
