Tension at Alarnath Temple over theft from temple hundi

Puri: Tension gripped the famous Alarnath Temple in Brahmagiri of Puri today following a scuffle between sevayats and a member of the temple management committee over a theft incident that took place inside the temple two days ago.

Sources said a person donning an outfit of servitor was found stealing from the inner hundi (donation box) of the temple at around 1.57 am on July 10 while the entire act was caught on CCTV camera.

Sevayats of the temple had filed a written complaint with the local Tehsildar yesterday urging probe into the matter, as neither the administration nor the police seemed to take action despite two days into the incident.

Shockingly, the CCTV camera installed near the inner hundi was also found destroyed this morning even as the footage of the theft was doing rounds on social media sparking outrage in the area.

Alleging gross negligence by temple management and local administration, the sevayats created ruckus on the temple premises this morning.

The situation soon turned grim following a heated exchange of words between president of the temple’s development council and some servitors leading to a scuffle inside the temple premises.

Further details are awaited.