Mohan Kuthar

Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Aug 21: In a daring heist that has left the police red-faced, thieves broke into the Shree Mahalakshmi Ganapathi temple at Kallapu Bodangila under the Ullal police station limits and decamped with valuable gold and silver ornaments. Ironically, the temple is situated just a few metres away from the Mangaluru South sub-division assistant commissioner of police (ACP) office.

The theft came to light around 4:30 am on Thursday when the head priest, Balakrishna Bhat, arrived to perform the morning pooja.

According to sources, the miscreants broke the lock to gain entry into the temple. They made away with a gold karimani (mangalsutra), a gold chain, a pendant, a thali, and the silver armour (kavacha) and prabhavali adorning the idol of the goddess. The total value of the stolen goods is estimated to be around Rs 2 lac.

The fact that the theft occurred right in front of the ACP office, which reportedly lacks CCTV surveillance, has led to public criticism that the thieves easily outsmarted the authorities.

A case has been registered at the Ullal police station. Fingerprint experts and the canine squad visited the spot to conduct a thorough inspection and gather evidence. Further investigation is underway.