Odisha becoming hub for temple thefts: Two more temples looted in Bhadrak

In a late-night theft reported on Saturday, three separate locations under the rural police limits of Bahudarada Panchayat in Bhadrak were targeted by thieves. The first location to fall victim was the Jagannath Temple, where thieves looted valuable gold jewellery and donation boxes containing a large sum of money.

In a similar incident, thieves broke the lock at the Maa Kalitra Peetha on National Highway 16 and stole the donation box. Additionally, when no one was at the residence of Dharmendra Jena in the village, the thieves made away with a cash amount of Rs 50,000, gold jewellery, and contents of a box. The house, situated near the outer house, had these valuable items that made it easier for the thieves to carry out the crime.

Bhadrak rural police have initiated an investigation into the matters.

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This follows a troubling pattern of similar incidents. A  series of temple thefts across Odisha in recent months has raised serious concerns about the security of religious sites. On February 9, 2025, thieves looted valuables and cash from the donation box at the Jagannath Temple in Phulbani, Kandhamal.

On January 20, miscreants targeted the Siruli Mahavir Temple in Puri, while four days earlier, the Saila Srikhetra Jagannath Temple in Angul was looted, with thieves stealing cash and gold crowns. Earlier in January, the Panchamukhi Hanuman Temple in Cuttack was also robbed.

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Last year, in 2024, thefts included a December 23 break-in at the Chingudikhola Kali Temple in Ganjam, and on November 25, four temples in Gardapara, Ganjam, were looted. A similar robbery occurred at the Tara Tarini Temple, where thieves used cutting machines to steal valuables. Other notable incidents include the November 12 theft at Maa Santoshi Temple in Nuapada and the October 11 robbery at a Durga Puja Mandap in Jajpur.

These recurring thefts have sparked outrage along with hurting the religious sentiments of many, with growing calls for improved security measures at religious sites across Odisha.