A tourist from West Bengal was caught on camera stealing sacred religious items from the premises of the Tawang Monastery and the Giant Buddha Statue Park in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang district, triggering concern among locals and authorities. The incident came to light after a video of the act surfaced on social media and quickly went viral, helping the police identify and track down the accused. According to officials, the theft reportedly took place inside the compound of the famous Tawang Monastery and nearby Giant Buddha Statue Park. The accused tourist was seen in the viral footage taking sacred items from the religious premises. The video was widely shared on social media platforms, sparking strong reactions and debate among people regarding the conduct of tourists visiting religious and culturally sensitive sites in Arunachal Pradesh. Acting swiftly on the circulating footage and other available information, Tawang Police launched an investigation to trace the individual. A team led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Tasso Kato, along with Officer-in-Charge of Tawang Police Station Inspector Niyi Angu, began efforts to identify the suspect seen in the video.
After gathering necessary leads and verifying details, the police were able to trace the accused to his home state of West Bengal. Police officials confirmed that the accused was arrested on Wednesday morning from West Bengal following coordinated efforts by the investigating team. During the operation, authorities also managed to recover several sacred objects that had allegedly been taken from the religious sites. Among the items recovered were a medium-sized Buddha idol taken from the Tawang Monastery premises, a religious bell, a pair of Tingsha cymbals, and two metal butter lamps that had been removed from the Giant Buddha Statue Park. These items hold religious and cultural significance for the local Buddhist community and are considered sacred objects used in religious practices. Despite the seriousness of the incident, authorities managing the monastery reportedly decided to forgive the accused and did not lodge a formal complaint in the matter. As a result, no formal case was registered after the recovery of the sacred items.
The incident has nevertheless raised concerns about the behaviour of visitors at important religious sites in the region. Tawang district, known for its historic monastery and scenic tourist attractions, receives a large number of tourists throughout the year. Following the incident, Tawang Police appealed to local hotel owners and tourism service providers to remain vigilant. Police have urged hoteliers to properly verify the identity and credentials of tourists staying at their establishments and to immediately inform authorities if any suspicious activity is noticed.
