Berhampur: Police on Thursday arrested six persons — two night watchmen and four sevayats — for their involvement in looting ornaments and cash from Tara Tarini temple, one of the famous Shakti shrines in the state, early on Nov 5.
The accused have been identified as night watchmen Kalia Dash (35) and Balaram Nayak (45), besides servitors Amulya Rana (28), Bikash Rana (20), Rabin Kumar Rana and Goutam Rana, said the police.
“Police seized a cutter machine from Kalia, some electrical equipment from Balaram and Rs 21,000 cash from Amulya and another Rs 18,000 from Rabin,” said Rajani Kanta Samal, sub-divisional police officer, Purushottampur.
He said the silver ornaments, including the face masks and decorated umbrella of the twin deities, have not been found yet. “We are trying to recover the silver ornaments of the deities” said the SDPO. He said inquiry is on to find whether others were involved in the crime or not.
The accused entered the temple by breaking the locks of the entrance gate of the temple, located on the hilltop. Besides stealing the silver ornaments, they also looted cash from the donation box.
The matter came to light on Nov 5 morning when servitors noticed the open of the gate and the ornaments stolen. Tapan Kumar Rana, president of the sevayat sangh of the temple had lodged an FIR.
Following the incident, the temple management has installed six CCTV cameras in strategic locations of the temple.