Couple Arrested For Series Temple Donation Box Loot In Odisha’s Ganjam

Berhampur: Khallikote Police have arrested a couple for allegedly looting donation boxes of several temples in Odisha’s Ganjam district.

They were nabbed during a routine blockade at Keshpur toll plaza on National Highway (NH) 16 on Thursday. Cash to the tune of Rs 30,000, gold ornaments, two silver chains, and a stolen temple donation box were recovered from their possession.

A scooty which the duo was riding was also seized.

Chhatrapur SDPO Gourahari Sahu said that the couple hail from Rambha. “They visited different temples across Ganjam district posing as devotees and then stole from the donation boxes stealthily,” he said, describing their modus operandi.

The SDPO further stated that they had received complaints of numerous such thefts from temple managements in Keshpur, Rambha and Khallikote. “The couple was found suspiciously leaving the shrines on a Scooty in footage of CCTV cameras installed at some temple premises during the investigation. We had since been monitoring their activities and finally managed to nab them near Keshpur with stolen item,” he said.

Sahu added that the couple has confessed to having looted several donation boxes of temples across the district during interrogation.

Further investigation is underway to ascertain involvement of others in the loot and trace jewellers to whom they sold the stolen ornaments.