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Puri: Throwing an open challenge for the police, miscreants allegedly decamped with cash and other valuables from Mausi Maa temple located at Balagandi chhak in Puri district late on Wednesday night.
As per preliminary reports, unidentified miscreants looted cash and other valuables from the donation box, cupboard after breaking their locks.
Though the exact amount of valuables and cash stolen is yet to be ascertained, local residents have blamed poor security measures as the reason behind the theft at the temple.
“Several organisations have been complaining that CCTVs in the city are lying defunct. The Mausi Maa temple is deeply associated with the traditions of Jagannath temple. There has been a significant rise in the number of crimes and illegal narcotics trade in the town. The theft inside the temple is no less than a challenge for the cops,” said a local resident.
Puri SP Kanwar Vishal Singh said, “There has been an attempt of theft and it is said that Rs 2,000 to 3,000 have been looted. We have detained some suspects and they are now being interrogated.”
Singh further informed that massive crackdown against illegal narcotics trade, especially against Brown Sugar continues in a big way. Moreover, 15 drug peddlers have been arrested in a special drive in the past 24 hours, he added.
Chief priest of the Mausi Maa Temple informed that exact figures of the amount of donation money looted from the hundi are not clear even though the miscreants have not even left a single penny.
"We averted huge losses as the looters were not able to rob the valuable gold and silver ornaments of the presiding deity. I generally remove them from the Goddess' body before leaving for home every night so it's a big relief," the priest said.
But most important is that the incident is a big attack on the religious sentiments of crores of devotees who love the Goddess and Jagannath Dham.
https://youtu.be/7nPouaSuL6g
(Edited By Suryakant Jena)
