by Inchara Digitals
Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Oct 26: The ancient Lakshmi Janardhana Temple located at Yermal in the taluk on national highway was targeted by robbers on the night of Tuesday October 25. The priests who opened the doors today morning for the morning puja found that the lock of the front door of the temple was broken, and silver valuables worth over one lac rupees had been taken away by the intruders. It is guessed that the theft took place between midnight and early morning today, as puja and other rituals were conducted at the temple till late night on Tuesday.

The above temple is over 800 years old, and is frequented by devotees spread all over the district. A silver crown of the presiding deity of the temple, a silver waistband, and other silverware being used for puja have gone missing from the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. As the gold jewellery belonging the temple were kept in the safe locker of the temple before the priests locked the temple door, the thieves could not lay their hands on them.

A case was registered in Padubidri police station in this connection. The policemen arrived at the temple premises along with sniffer dogs and finger print experts. Investigation has been taken up.