Daijiworld News Network - Beltangady (GA)

Beltangady, Jul 7: A couple of month ago, a temple priest from Venur was arrested for stealing money from alms box.  Later the same person was found to have involved in sandalwood smuggling too.

Now one more similar case has been reported from Miyar Shri Navadurga Temple at Puduvettu near Dharmasthala here.  The main priest of the said temple Mohan Baltillaya has been accused of stealing an idol of god and ornaments that were on the idols.

The locals along with the managing committee of the temple have filed a case with the Beltangady police in this regard.   Though the theft had taken place quite a long ago, no one had come to know about it since there are many ancient and valuable idols in the temple.

Recently one of the members of the managing committee observed that an idol and a few ornaments were missing.  However, the temple priest Mohan Baltillaya did not tell anything about it to the committee.  Having suspected some foul play, the locals and the managing committee members enquired the temple priest and found out that the valuables were stolen by him.

Accordingly now a complaint has been filed with the police.