Golden crowns from Odisha's Saila Srikhetra Jagannath Temple looted

Unidentified miscreants allegedly decamped with cash and gold from the famous Saila Srikhetra Jagannath Temple in Odisha’s Angul district. As per the allegations, the robbers have not only looted money from the donation box but also fled away with three golden crowns that adorned the deities' idols.

The matter came to the fore after the temple, which was securely locked by staff, was found open on Saturday morning. The robbers allegedly broke into the temple by forcibly opening the gate. 

Loot from the Jagannath Temple: Updates

The incident was discovered in the early hours when the temple priest arrived for daily rituals, finding the gate damaged. Temple authorities quickly informed the local police, who launched an investigation alongside a dog squad and a scientific team.

Though there are CCTV cameras installed at the temple, they were found non-functional, potentially aiding the robbers' ability to act unobserved. A police probe is conducted to identify and locate those responsible for the theft.

Efforts are actively underway to identify and apprehend the culprits responsible for the crime, said police personnel.

In a similar manner, unidentified miscreants allegedly looted valuables worth over Rs 30 lakh from two temples – Shirdi Sai Baba temple at Bhanjanagar and Maa Budhisantani Thakurani temple at Jagadalpur in Ganjam district on Saturday. Apart from the valuables, the robbers also allegedly decamped with cash worth Rs 30,000.