Series loot of gold ornaments from 3 temples in Odisha sparks anger

In a series of break-ins, unidentified miscreants looted gold ornaments and other valuables from three temples located in Mahagaba Panchayat under Kamardda police limits in Balasore district late Saturday night. 

The targeted temples are Maa Basuli temple, Maa Tarini temple and Maa Mangala temple. 

According to sources, the priests and local residents came to the temples on Sunday morning only to find the locks broken and deities’ gold ornaments, money from donation boxes and other valuables missing. They immediately informed the police about the incidents. 

Later, police teams visited the temples, collected evidence and recorded statements of the priests and local people. 

Informing about the incident, Asish Panda, a priest, said, “The miscreants barged into the temples in the night and stole gold ornaments and other valuables. In our temple, they seemed to have gouged out the gold eyes of the deity using a screwdriver.”

A Mahagaba Panchayat resident, Kalyani Dash said, “Every morning, we come to the temple to clean the premises. When we reached the temple this morning, we found the temple being burgled. The looted articles include a Ganesh idol, ornaments and the utensils of the deities.”

Registering a case, the police have launched a probe and manhunt to nab the miscreants.