Golden statue of Shree Bishnu recovered in Gopalganj

They also arrested four people in this connection.

The arrestees are Bishwajeet Mohanta and Mahadev Mandal of village Goalgram, Prosanta Bala of Kaligram and Rezaul Mallik of village Gangarampur under Muksudpur upazila in the district.

Police arrested them when they were making a business deal over the sale of the statue at Latenga High School ground at noon.

Locals say after being examined by Gauranga Majumder of Maa Jewelers of Bhangarhat Bazaar, police confirmed that the statue was made of gold and bronze.

But Chapal Kanti Roy, officer-in-charge (OC) of Kotalipara Police Station, told this correspondent that the statue was examined by goldsmiths of Ghaghore Bazaar who have confirmed that it was made of brass.

He said an organised group of frauds had tried to set up a trap against the local Hindus through the statue.