Thefts in temples raise concerns in Kullu

Kullu August 22

While there are no clues about the theft of 3.70 kg silver ornaments from Mata Tripura Sundari Temple in Naggar on Saturday, a burglar stole ornaments worth Rs 7 lakh from Hanuman Temple at Jarad village in the Bhuntar subdivision on Sunday. The incident was captured on the CCTV camera but the accused had covered his face and hence could not be identified. The miscreant broke the CCTV cameras and took away the installed DVR.

The Dev Samaj is worried about the theft of deities’ ornaments in the temples. Unidentified miscreants had decamped with silver ornaments and cash from the donation box of Shuru Temple in the Manali subdivision on May 9. The temple is located in the middle of the village but still there was no clue about the burglars.

Kullu Kardar Sangh president Dot Ram Thakur said, “Rise in such incidents have worried the Dev Samaj and the government needs to work out a plan to curb such thefts.” He added that the CCTV cameras should be installed in the temples and these should be remotely connected with police stations and the main control room at the Kullu SP office. He further added that automatic burglar alarms should be installed in the sanctum sanctorum of the temples.

Manoj, a resident of Shuru village, said earlier, the thieves used to decamp with antique idols of deities, which were of high value and it seemed to be the handiwork of antique smugglers. He said, “Now, the miscreants are stealing ornaments for easy money and it seems that the thieves are likely to be drug addicts.” Various organisations and associations of the area have raised concerns, demanding adequate security measures for the protection of rich cultural heritage and wealth in the temples of the state.

The act of stealing in the temples had surged in the recent past. There are many temples that have ancient and priceless idols, artifacts and ornaments. However, there are temples where no CCTV cameras are installed or security in place. With limited police force, it is a challenging task before the government to ensure that the rich and ancient cultural heritage of the state is protected.