Fiji Police are investigating a spate of thefts targeting Hindu religious statues in Nadi, with five incidents reported within a single day.
According to FijiVillage three reports were lodged from Korociri in Nadi on Friday afternoon, between 12 and 1pm, where five statues were stolen from three different properties. A clay lamp was also taken from one of the homes.
Earlier that morning in Nakurakura, a 33-year-old man reported the theft of three religious statues from his property.
In the fifth incident, a 35-year-old man of Sagayam Road in Nadi discovered that a statue, believed to be a Shiv Ling, had been stolen from his prayer room.
Police confirmed that a dedicated team is pursuing several leads and working around the clock to identify those responsible.
Earlier this year in April, pages of the sacred Ramayan were torn at the Vunicuicui Shiv Mandir in Labasa—a crime condemned by the temple community as an assault on interfaith respect. Earlier this month, the Samabula temple was also vandalised, with police investigations ongoing.
Such incidents are part of a troubling pattern. In 2018, temples in Suva and Nadi were defaced with hate graffiti, idols damaged, and donation boxes stolen. In 2006, the frequency of attacks forced temples to hire private security after police admitted they could not provide 24-hour protection. As far back as 1991, firebombings and the burning of sacred texts shocked the nation and drew widespread protests.
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