Security men under scanner for Odisha’s Akhandalamani temple heist

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhadrak, Feb 18:

Hours after miscreants decamped with cash and jewellery worth lakhs from the temple’s hundi (donation box), Akhandalamani temple administration today filed a complaint against two security men with local police station who were on duty at the time of the alleged heist at the famous Shaivite shrine in Odisha’s Bhadrak district.

Pic Courtesy: www.babaakhandalamani.nic.in
Pic Courtesy: www.babaakhandalamani.nic.in

According to a rough estimate, over Rs 4 lakh cash and jewellery have been allegedly looted from the donation box between 1 am and 4 am in the wee hours today.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the robbers jumped the wall of the temple, broke the lock of the South Gate of the temple and entered into it.

After the temple authorities filed an FIR with the Dhusuri police, the officials have begun investigation into the allegations.

“The robbers have executed their plan despite security arrangements in the temple. The security personnel have been included into the purview of investigation as none other was present inside the temple during the incident. Police personnel did patrolling in the temple area last at around 1 am. So, we suspect that the incident might have taken place between 1 am and 4am,” Dhusuri police station IIC Bhalu Munda said.

On the other hand, the servitors have alleged that the temple authorities are not at all serious about the security arrangements in the temple as miscreants have made away with valuables many a times.

“The hundi is emptied in an interval of four months in which at least Rs 4 lakh cash and jewelleries donated by the devotees are found. The robbers have struck despite presence of security personnel in the temple. There is no surveillance system installed in the famous Shaivite shrine. Had there been CCTV mounted at several points, these types of incidents could be avoided,” expressed a servitor.

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