Miscreants allegedly burgled Jagannath temple at Mukhiguda in Kalahandi district late Friday night and decamped with a silver crown weighing 10 kg besides other silver jewellery.
According to sources, burglars entered the temple by breaking the temple’s main gate and looted money from the donation box apart from stealing the silver jewellery of the temple deities.
Upon being informed, Jayapatna police and Dharmagada deputy superintendent of police reached the spot and started an investigation with the help of a scientific team and sniffer dogs.
Temple priest Maheswar Das said, “We did not realize when the theft took place. They broke the first three gates of the temple and escaped with the donation box and silver jewellery worth Rs 10-15 lakh leaving the bronze jewellery untouched. Secretary of the Temple Management Committee has taken stock of the situation. Due to theft, puja rituals of the deities got delayed today.”