At least 16 idols, including that of the main deity Dattatreya, were stolen from the Chandannath Baba temple in Jumla in the early hours of Sunday morning. 

The thieves made away with idols of Lord Buddha, Lord Krishna, Mahakaal including gold-plated steeple, foot prints of the deities, rare left-right conch and the deity's throne, among others.

The locals of Jumla have expressed their outrage following the theft from the temple, which is one of the major tourist attractions of Karnali zone. The priest of the temple informed that the thieves broke into the temple by breaking the lock.

The head of the Dattatreya idol had the crest made of gold while the rest is made of silver, according to Ramananda Acahrya, an expert on local culture and religion. The idol weighs around 30 kg.

Police have cordoned off the temple premises and initiated investigation, the District Police Office, Jumla said.