Temple Thief Prays Before Stealing Silver Crown and Bell

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Nagpur: In a bizarre incident that has shocked devotees, a man allegedly offered prayers at a temple, waited for the crowd to disperse, and then stole a silver crown from Goddess Durga’s idol and a brass bell. His entire act, however, was captured on CCTV, leading to his arrest within hours.

The theft occurred at the Hanuman Temple in Lalganj under the jurisdiction of Shanti Nagar Police Station.

Police said Shravan Khakre (65) visited the temple on Sunday afternoon posing as a devotee. He folded his hands before the deities, performed a circumambulation of the temple and patiently waited until the premises became less crowded.

Seizing the opportunity, he allegedly removed the silver crown adorning Goddess Durga’s idol and the brass bell installed inside the temple before quietly leaving the premises.

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Unaware that every move had been recorded by the temple’s CCTV cameras, the accused was soon identified after temple authorities reported the theft.

Based on the footage, Shanti Nagar Police traced and arrested Khakre within a few hours. Police said the accused has a criminal record involving previous theft cases and was currently residing in the Hudkeshwar area.

Investigators are questioning him to ascertain whether he was involved in other temple thefts reported in the city. The incident has once again raised concerns over the growing number of thefts targeting places of worship.

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