60 temples in state burgled in 11 months

Margashirsh Shukla Prathama, Kaliyug Varsha 5112

PANAJI (Goa) : Every six days a temple is burgled in Goa. If one goes by the records available with the police, in the past 11 months nearly 60 temples have been burgled in the state.

Police have been able to detect only 11 cases. Valuables worth lakhs of rupees have been stolen by these temple burglars.

On November 24, the Chandreshwar temple at Paroda was burgled and the burglars decamped with gold, silver ornaments and cash, all worth ` 18 lakh while from the Gomantak Balaji Tirupati temple at Cuncolem in Mardol, gold and silver items worth ` 3.20 lakh were stolen on October 31.

Jewellery worth ` 2.33 lakh was found missing from the Bhavani temple at Altinho-Bhatulem in Panaji on August 12. Unknown persons stole gold ornaments and cash worth ` 6,000 from the Laxmi Narayan temple at Mapusa on July 22 while gold ornaments and cash worth ` 1.60 lakh were stolen from the Ganesh temple at Arpora on October 26. The Shantadurga temple at Bicholim suffered a loss of ` 1.70 lakh in the burglary that occurred on August 12 wherein jewellery and the donation box were stolen.

According to the Superintendent of Police, North, Mr Arvind Gawas, no Goans are involved in the temple thefts. "These are mostly gangs hailing from the neighbouring states and other areas. They come, stay in hotels, commit the thefts and flee," he said adding that their modus operandi differs from gang to gang.

Elaborating on the temple thefts, Mr Gawas said that some gangs target only the gold ornaments while some others pounce on the cash in the donation boxes. Some gangs lay their hands on silver items in the temple thinking that the gold ornaments could be fake jewellery, while still some others eye the brass bells.

Mr Gawas informed that various strategies are being used by these inter-state gangs, which proves that different gangs operate at different places. Some climb the roof tops and enter the temples while some others enter by breaking open the main door or look out for some weak spots to gain entry, Mr Gawas said.

"In the past we did arrest a few of the temple burglars and they were produced before the court but once they were released they again indulged in this crime. We are in touch with our counterparts in Karnataka and Maharashtra with regard to this, as similar modus operandi was employed while committing temple thefts there. We are confident of nabbing them," said Mr Gawas. Of late, the burglars have targeted temples located at secluded spots in Panaji, Ponda, Pernem, Mapusa and Bicholim.

Ponda police station in-charge feels that the town lacks sufficient police force to keep a check on the temples. He revealed that the town has around 325 temples while the police staff is just 80, including the officers. He further said that it is not possible for the cops to keep an eye on the temples located at secluded places and in the interior.

The Superintendent of Police, North, informed that a meeting of all the in-charges of the North Goa police stations was held recently wherein guidelines were issued according to which police officers will keep a night check on the important temples and sign the register maintained by the temple committees. Mr Gawas informed that nakabandis will be held and ex-convicts in temple thefts would be rounded up.

Source : Navhindutimes

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