New Delhi, Oct. 19 -- The Louvre Museum in Paris, the world's most visited cultural institution, was forced to close temporarily on Sunday after a robbery in which masked men made off with jewellery, according to French authorities.

Three men armed with small chainsaws reportedly entered the museum shortly after opening hours, using a goods lift to access the Apollo Gallery, which houses France's crown jewels. They stole nine pieces of jewellery from the "Napoleon and the Empress" collection, Le Parisien reported. One stolen jewel was later found outside the museum.

France's Culture Minister Rachida Dati confirmed the incident, saying on X (formerly Twitter): "A robbery took place this morning at the opening of the Louvre Museum. No inj...