Kollur Temple employee suspended for stealing silver ingots worth Rs 3.5 lakhs

Kollur Temple employee suspended for stealing silver ingots worth Rs 3.5 lakhs

Mangalore Today News Network

Kundapur, Jan 8, 2014 : An employee of the Kollur Sri Mookambika Temple has been suspended from services on the charges of stealing  valuable silver ingots worth  nearly Rs 3.5 lakhs,  which  were  offered to the Temple for Seva purpose. The temple authorities have recovered the stolen silver from the accused employee.

 It is learnt, on January 1,  several devotees from the nation and across had arrived at the Temple. On this occasion, the accused Puranik had   suggested an influential industrialist from Tamil Nadu to offer a sugar Tulabhara to the Goddess. The industrialist had even offered silver ingots to the Goddess along with the sugar Tulabhara and the silver ingots placed in a plate were covered with a cloth and kept atop the sugar bags.

When the  silver ingots fell down while  making adjustments in the Tulabhara,  Puranik had picked them and placed them back on the plate. However, there was none else but the two and after the Seva,  Puranik had taken the sugar to the temple store room and the silver ingots to his home. A temple staff had however noticed this and brought the same to the notice of the temple authorities.

 On January 2, the accused had even abstained from work. However, the Temple Managing Trustee Krishna Prasad Adyantaya and Executive officer LN Maruthi had checked the CCTV footages when the theft came to light.When the accused was summoned on January 3 and enquired, he admitted the guilt and returned the stolen  10 silver ingots. He was immediately served a notice.

The Temple Committee which met on January 7, Tuesday decided to suspend him from service with immediate effect and also undertake an investigation into the case.

As per the temple rules, devotees can directly approach the temple authorities for Tulabhara Seve or through priests. In  case of direct Tulabhara  then the entire Seva offering goes to Temple while in case of the latter, half of the offering goes to the priests.