A significant theft occurred at the Mahakali temple located within the premises of the renowned Gnana Saraswathi temple in Basar, Telangana’s Nirmal district. Two unidentified individuals broke into the temple late on Monday night, stealing a silver crown and the temple’s offering box, known as the ‘hundi.’ The incident was discovered early Tuesday morning by the temple priests when they arrived for their rituals.
Temple authorities promptly reported the theft to the police, leading to a swift response from senior officials who initiated an investigation into the matter. CCTV footage captured two masked men entering the temple premises, prompting the deployment of a clues team and a dog squad to aid in the investigation. The stolen silver crown weighs approximately one and a half kilograms, as per temple officials.
Following the theft, the temple officials decided to postpone the counting of offerings made by devotees. District Superintendent of Police Janaki Sharmila, along with Mudhol MLA Rama Rao and other officials, visited the temple to assess the situation. The Gnana Saraswati temple, situated on the banks of the revered Godavari River, holds a rich history dating back thousands of years.
In a related incident, a theft was also reported at the Sri Satyanarayana Swamy Temple in Koilakuntla, Nandyal district, Andhra Pradesh. A masked individual stole the ‘hundi’ from the temple during the midnight hours, as captured by the temple’s CCTV cameras. The police have registered a case and launched an investigation to apprehend the perpetrator.
