Gold ornaments, cash looted from Rekula Mangala temple in Kamakhyanagar; locals warn of protest

Miscreants decamped with gold ornaments worth several lakhs of rupees and cash from the donation box after breaking into the Rekula Mangala temple in Kamakhyanagar in Dhenkanal, triggering concern over the security of religious places in the region. The theft is suspected to have taken place late on Wednesday night.

The incident came to light on Thursday morning when the temple priest arrived to perform the daily rituals and found the temple door broken and the ornaments of the presiding deity missing. Preliminary assessment suggests that the miscreants forcibly entered the temple, broke open the doors and looted all valuables before fleeing.

According to preliminary estimates, gold ornaments valued between Rs 7 lakh and Rs 8 lakh were stolen from the temple. In addition, around Rs 20,000 kept in the temple’s donation box was also looted. Locals said all ornaments adorning the deity, including gold jewellery, were taken during the burglary.

Series Of Thefts Raises Alarm

Notably, within a week, thefts have been reported from three temples located barely three kilometres from Kamakshyanagar police station, the Malpura Ram temple, the Anantapur Radha Krishna temple and the Rekula Mangala temple. Despite repeated incidents, the culprits remain untraced.

Satyajit Behera, a local resident, said, “All the ornaments were stolen, which amounted to around 40–45 grams of gold, costing approximately Rs 8 lakh. We have no information about the steps being taken by Kamakshyanagar police, despite nearly five temples being looted in the region. If religious places are being targeted so easily, it raises serious concerns about the safety of people’s homes as well. We request the local administration to take this matter seriously and update us about the steps taken into the matter, or we will launch a protest and gherao Kamakhyanagar Police Station.”

Hatakishore Behera, the village president, said, “The theft occurred late on Wednesday night. When the temple gates were opened in the morning, all the goddess’s jewellery, including her eyes and bangles, was found missing. The donation box was also broken and cash was stolen, though the exact amount is not known. We demand that the police take stern action and justice be served.”

Demand For Stronger Patrolling

Local residents alleged that inadequate night patrolling contributed to the rise in temple thefts. They demanded immediate action, intensified patrolling and strict measures against those involved, warning of protests if effective steps are not taken soon.