A 2.25-foot emerald idol of Lord Murugan was stolen from the Sri Maragatha Bala Dhandayuthapani Murugan Temple at Perungkaranai village, about 60 km south of Chennai. The temple, popularly called 'Nadu Palani', had installed the idol in 2008 after bringing it from Mysuru.

The theft occurred on Tuesday night. According to police, thieves breached a three-layer security system, disabled the alarm, and sprayed paint over CCTV cameras placed at strategic points.

Police said access to the sanctum was protected by three heavy security doors and iron shutters, in addition to an alarm system designed to detect intrusion. Authorities have not yet disclosed the estimated value of the stolen idol or details of any arrests.