Temple Heist / Thieves Loot Three Temples In Bhubaneswar's Patia Area; Gold, Silver Ornaments Stolen
·2 hours ago·3 min read
Key Points
Thefts reported from three temples in Bhubaneswar's Patia area — Kanaka Durga Temple, Nilakantheswar Temple, and Shikharchandi Temple — late Thursday night.
Bhubaneswar, Apr 10: A series of thefts was reported from three temples in Patia area of Bhubaneswar, with miscreants decamping with gold and silver ornaments worth lakhs of rupees and cash after breaking open donation boxes, a source said Friday.
The incidents took place late Thursday night at Kanaka Durga Temple, Nilakantheswar Temple and Shikharchandi Temple.
According to our source from the ground, at the Kanak Durga Temple, the accused broke open the temple locks and stole a gold idol of the deity, a silver throne, the deity’s tika and nose ring, along with cash after breaking the hundi box. A complaint was lodged at Infocity Police Station by the temple trust board.
The theft came to light early Friday morning when the priest arrived for daily rituals and found the locks broken, following which the temple authorities were informed.
Similar thefts were reported from Nilakantheswar Temple and Shikharchandi Temple, where gold and silver ornaments and cash from hundis were stolen.
CCTV footage showed the involvement of four miscreants in the series of thefts, the source said, adding that an investigation was launched based on the footage.
Also Read: Six Odisha Cops Arrested in 2016 Custodial Death Case
Bhadrakali Temple Heist Case Gets Murky
In a separate incident, two persons arrested for allegedly attempting theft at Maa Bhadrakali Temple in Odisha’s Bhadrak district claimed during police interrogation that they fled the shrine after hearing “anklet sounds” and sensing an “unknown presence”.
The accused, identified as Dipun Behera and Sipun Barik of Gadi Samantaraipur village, allegedly entered the temple premises on the night of April 5.
According to our source from the ground, the incident came to light the next morning after the donation box was found broken, prompting a complaint and subsequent police investigation.
Bhadrak Rural Police arrested the duo on the afternoon of April 6 and later took them to the temple for further questioning.
During interrogation, the accused said they had initially visited the area to attend the local fair ‘Ghoda Melan’ and later planned the theft after observing devotees offering money at the shrine.
Police said one of the accused allegedly entered the temple by scaling the boundary wall, while the other remained near the rear gate.
The accused claimed that after breaking open an almirah inside the sanctum, he heard the sound of anklets and saw lights flickering, which left him frightened.
The duo further claimed they saw a “large figure” approaching them, forcing them to escape, leaving behind some jewellery. During the escape, some of the stolen cash reportedly fell on the ground.
The incidents took place late Thursday night at Kanaka Durga Temple, Nilakantheswar Temple and Shikharchandi Temple.
According to our source from the ground, at the Kanak Durga Temple, the accused broke open the temple locks and stole a gold idol of the deity, a silver throne, the deity’s tika and nose ring, along with cash after breaking the hundi box. A complaint was lodged at Infocity Police Station by the temple trust board.
The theft came to light early Friday morning when the priest arrived for daily rituals and found the locks broken, following which the temple authorities were informed.
Similar thefts were reported from Nilakantheswar Temple and Shikharchandi Temple, where gold and silver ornaments and cash from hundis were stolen.
CCTV footage showed the involvement of four miscreants in the series of thefts, the source said, adding that an investigation was launched based on the footage.
Also Read: Six Odisha Cops Arrested in 2016 Custodial Death Case
Bhadrakali Temple Heist Case Gets Murky
In a separate incident, two persons arrested for allegedly attempting theft at Maa Bhadrakali Temple in Odisha’s Bhadrak district claimed during police interrogation that they fled the shrine after hearing “anklet sounds” and sensing an “unknown presence”.
The accused, identified as Dipun Behera and Sipun Barik of Gadi Samantaraipur village, allegedly entered the temple premises on the night of April 5.
According to our source from the ground, the incident came to light the next morning after the donation box was found broken, prompting a complaint and subsequent police investigation.
Bhadrak Rural Police arrested the duo on the afternoon of April 6 and later took them to the temple for further questioning.
During interrogation, the accused said they had initially visited the area to attend the local fair ‘Ghoda Melan’ and later planned the theft after observing devotees offering money at the shrine.
Police said one of the accused allegedly entered the temple by scaling the boundary wall, while the other remained near the rear gate.
The accused claimed that after breaking open an almirah inside the sanctum, he heard the sound of anklets and saw lights flickering, which left him frightened.
The duo further claimed they saw a “large figure” approaching them, forcing them to escape, leaving behind some jewellery. During the escape, some of the stolen cash reportedly fell on the ground.
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