Maharashtra: Lord Shiv temple base found in Nanded village by archaeology dept

Workers remove debris near the conservation site where a temple base was found, in Hottal of Nanded. Pic/ PTI

The base of a Lord Shiv temple has been uncovered during conservation work at Hottal village of Nanded district, reported PTI citing an official on Tuesday.

Hottal is known for its temples from the Chalukyan era. The village has yielded three stone inscriptions mentioning the contributions of donors who helped construct these temples around 1070 AD, the official added.

As per the PTI report, this area, once the capital of the Kalyani Chalukyas, is famous for its temple complex adorned with intricate sculptures.

As part of the ongoing conservation work on some of these historic temples, a team of archaeology department officials discovered the temple base while clearing debris near a temple under restoration.

"Four trenches were dug to ascertain the structure and uncovered the base of a Lord Shiv temple, complete with a Shivling. Additionally, we found a substantial number of bricks, indicating that bricks were used in the temple construction here," Amol Gote, the in-charge of the Nanded division of the state Archaeology Department, told PTI.

Maharashtra: Palghar liquor shop burgled; Rs 5 lakh stock and cash stolen

Two unidentified persons allegedly broke into a liquor shop in Maharashtra's Palghar district and stole the stock and cash totalling Rs 5 lakh from the outlet, police said on Monday, reported news agency PTI.

The incident took place on Saturday at the Palghar liquor shop located at Mastan Naka in Manor area, they said.

The burglars decamped with liquors of various brands and cash kept at the Palghar liquor shop, the official from Manor police station said, reported PTI.

Based on a complaint by the Palghar liquor shop manager, the police on Saturday registered an FIR against unidentified persons under Indian Penal Code sections 380 (theft) and 457 (lurking house-trespass or house-breaking), he said.

In another case, a 22-year-old Thane man was arrested after seizing mephedrone drug valued at Rs 8.25 lakh from his possession in Maharashtra's Thane district, an official said on Monday, reported news agency PTI.

After receiving a tip, the crime branch sleuths laid a trap near a hospital on Khandupada road on Friday evening and nabbed the man with drugs in Thane. He was found to be carrying 165 gm of the contraband, the official from Shantinagar police station said, reported PTI.

A case was registered against the accused on Saturday under provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act while search was on for another person in connection with drugs in Thane, he said, reported PTI.

The police were trying to find out from where the accused procured the contraband and to whom he intended to sell it, the official said.