Peon Caught Stealing Money From Hundi of Puri Jagannath Temple, Suspended

Puri: The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has suspended a peon after he was caught on camera stealing money from a ‘Hundi’ (donation box) on premises of Jagannath temple in Odisha’s Puri.

The peon was assigned the job of counting the donation money at the donation cell of the temple from where he stole the money. The theft came to fore from the CCTV footage though it has not been ascertained whether the money was stolen by him during duty hours or on other days.

About Rs 35,000 in cash was seized from the accused following which the temple administration suspended him.

The servitors blamed the temple administration for not taking appropriate action to stop theft and other irregularities on the temple premises. Hajuri Krushna Chandra Khuntia, a servitor, alleged that the temple administration has remained silent on such issues.