Miscreants target Panchamukhi Hanuman temple in Cuttack, loot gold and silver ornaments 

In a daring heist that has sent shockwaves in Cuttack, thieves looted silver crown and gold ornaments from the Panchamukhi Hanuman Temple in Khannagar area late last night. The matter came to light on Saturday morning.

It is suspected that the theft took place during the late hours of the night, leaving devotees in disbelief over how such a brazen act could occur at one of the city’s popular and revered temples.

Upon being informed of the theft, Madhupatana Police station dispatched a team to the scene to carry out necessary investigation into the matter.

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Temple authorities have expressed deep concerns over the theft of valuables from Panchamukhi Hanuman temple. The locals have also urged police officials to increase vigilance in safeguarding sacred establishments which have always remained an easy target for the miscreants.

Sources said that miscreants gained access by breaking the backyard gate of the temple.

“This is an unfortunate incident. The temple is a sacred one and devotees not only from Cuttack, but also from other parts of the state also visit the temple. There has been rise in the number of thefts from temple across the state. CCTV cameras have been installed at the temple but only recording is available till December 31, 2024,” said a local resident.

The priest of the temple informed that, “All the valuables of the deity have been looted. The incident occurred after 3:30 am. It appears that the miscreants have not opened the donation boxes.”

The incident has sparked outrage among locals, who are calling for heightened security measures at religious sites across the region to prevent further incidents of such nature.