A golden pot, placed atop the historic Ram Janki temple at Khaniyadhana near here in Madhya Pradesh and said to be worth nearly Rs 15 crore, has been stolen by unidentified thieves, police said today. The incident came to light yesterday morning when Shailendra Singh Judeo, a local resident who is also Nagar Panchayat president, found the "kalash" (pot) installed atop the temple missing. He informed the police about it. Soon after the police reached the spot along with a dog squad and fingerprint experts, Sub Divisional Officer of Police (SDOP), Pichore town, R P Mishra said.

Judeo, who belongs to the erstwhile royal family of Khaniyadhana, said the temple was constructed by his forefathers and is about 300 years old. The pot weighed around 55 kg, he said. This "kalash" and a similar one in Orchha's famous Ram Raja temple were installed simultaneously, Judeo said. The SDOP, quoting the temple's patrons, said the golden pot was worth around Rs 15 crore.