Stephen Kayyar

Daijiworld Media Network – Kasargod (SS)

Kasargod, Nov 4: A priest of a temple in Manjeshwar has gone missing with gold ornaments belonging to the temple.

A complaint has been filed in Manjeshwar police station regarding the theft of gold ornaments from the idols and that the priest had replaced the original ornaments with fake ones and has reportedly gone missing.

Manjeshwar police station (file photo)

This incident has been reported from Manjeshwar Hosabettu Sri Mangesh Mahalakshmi temple.

The priest against whom the complaint has been filed is Deepak Namboodiri of Kerala descent. He was appointed as a priest of the temple and has been working at the temple since October 27.

On October 29 in the evening after he had finished the pooja Deepak told the guards that he would be going to the Hosangadi market but did not return. Despite the temple's trustee's frequent calls made to the priest, the mobile was found to be switched off.

Later, the temple authorities appointed Sridhar Bhat from Siddapura as the priest who has been on duty since November 1. When Sridhar Bhat went to the sanctum sanctorum of the temple to offer pooja he suspected that the ornaments that were used on Goddess Mahalakshmi were fake. Sridhar Bhat informed the temple trustee regarding the ornaments and when the authorities examined the jewels it was found that they were fake.

It was also found that Deepak Namboodiri had stolen two necklaces and five other gold ornaments from the temple that were placed on the idol and fled the scene, according to a complaint filed by temple trustee M Deepak Rao with the Manjeshwar police.