The priceless 2600-year-old idol of Lord Mahavira, weighing 250 kg which was stolen from a Jain Temple nine days ago, was recovered on Sunday from a village in Bihar's Jamui district, a senior police official said.

"We have recovered the 250-kg Lord Mahavira Idol from Bichhwe village at around 06.00 am," Bhagalpur Zone Inspector General of Police (IG), Bacchu Singh Meena told PTI on phone from Jamui where he has been camping for more than a week to supervise operation for recovery of the precious idol.

He said that the gang involved in the theft had called the police through one of its men informing them about the idol lying in a field in Bicchwe village. Policemen reached the spot and recovered the idol this morning.

Meena said that the thieves had planned to dispose of the idol to prospective buyers, but could not do so due to the mounting pressure from investigators as a result of which they were left with no option but to abandon it.

No arrest has been made as yet as more evidence was being collected against the gang, he said.

The idol made of black stone was stolen from a Jain temple in a village in Jamui district on November 27. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had spoken to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and enquired about the matter.

The Chief Minister had initially ordered a high-level probe by senior police officials before recommending a CBI probe into the incident.

Kumar has lauded the Bihar police for recovering the idol.