MADHEPURA, Jan. 6 -- A two-foot-high and around 15-kg Ashtadhatu (mixed metals) idol, a donation box and a temple bell were stolen from an under-construction Lord Hanuman temple in Bihar's Madhepura district on Monday, police said.

Police said the theft took place at Maruwaha, which falls under the jurisdiction of Bharahi police station in the district.

The total value of the stolen items is estimated at around Rs.2 lakh, the temple caretaker said.

Following clues from CCTV footage, station house officer (SHO) Pramod Kumar said police have deployed a dog squad to trace the idol, but no breakthrough had been made till Tuesday evening.

Police have so far recovered an empty, broken donation box about 200 metres from the temple, he said....