Silvester D'Souza

Daijiworld Media Network-Kundapur (RJP)

Kundapur, Feb 23: Police have arrested Shivaram Madiwala, a worker of famous Sri Mookambika temple Kollur, for allegedly stealing ornaments belonging to the temple.

From the preliminary investigations it has been revealed that Shivaram is involved in the theft of ornaments amounting to more than Rs 20 lac. A team headed by DySP Manjunath is in charge of investigations. Sources said that some hitherto unknown interesting facts are emerging from the interrogation conducted at Kollur police station.

Shivaram Madiwala, though employed as only a counter staff, was looking after the management of cash, jewellery and ornaments which are donated to the temple by the devotees. Madiwala has been performing this duty since 2012. Kollur temple gets a lot of donations in gold form for years. When Madiwala applied for leave on February 14 and 15, he was told by the temple executive manager T R Uma to hand over the keys. But Madiwala took the keys with him and did not return at all to the temple. He had even taken cash collection of the last day with him.

When Uma phoned him to handover the cash and keys, Madiwala only sent Rs 4 lac with his wife the next day. The attempts by the temple management to reach Madiwala were unsuccessful. His family said that he was taking treatment, but did not specify the place. After waiting for many days, a police complaint was lodged. Police on Monday arrested Madiwala at his residence while there was an impression that he had fled from Kollur.

Police have obtained deposit and loan details of Madiwala from nearby banks. It is suspected that he had pledged ornaments in the past. This is the first scam concerning cash and ornaments in the famous temple. Police are yet to open the safe locker where the ornaments were kept before Madiwala left the place.

Byndoor MLA Gopal Bhandary has said that he was hurt by the developments taken place at Kollur temple and demanded a thorough investigation.

It is not yet known why Madiwala, being an ordinary worker of the temple, was given total responsibilities of cash and ornaments for five years. Some suspect that they are some other people who have played roles in the theft.

Former temple executive manager L S Maruti, who is presently in Kollur, speaking to the media said that handing over of charge to right people was demanded by him but there was no response to this by the temple management.

Some sources said before the arrest Madiwala had a secret meeting with some people at the temple lodge.