Daijiworld Media Network - Kundapur (SP)

Kundapur, Feb 24: Taking serious view of the fact that two thefts have happened in two temples in Alur village in the taluk within a gap of two days, assistant superintendent of police here, Hariram Shankar, has asked the concerned to beef up vigil around all the 170 temples in this subdivision.

Thieves who succeeded in entering Goddess Marikamba temple at Alur town had broken open the lock of the sanctum sanctorum and taken away a old idol weighing one kilogram and money in the donation box. The theft is estimated to have caused loss of Rs 23,000.

The incident came to the notice of priest of the temple, Manju Kulal, when he arrived at the temple at 6.30 am on Sunday, February 23 for performing the morning puja. He said he had offered noon puja at the temple on February 22, and had later visited the temple at 7 pm the same day to switch on the lights.

Theft had also happened on the night of February 21 at Lord Mahalingeshwara temple in the same village in an area known as Halli. The thieves took away a silver aureole of the presiding deity, silver mouth, nose and eyes, besides cash collected in the donation box in this instance.

The ASP suspected by observing the way the doors of the temple have been broken open and certain other aspects, that both the thefts would have been committed by the same gang. He said that investigation is taking place from different angles and the concerned have been asked to be alert wherever temples are located. The two temples are located within a distance of about 1.5 km.