Gold jewellery worth Rs 5 lakh missing in Andhra Pradesh

In a troubling incident at Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Devasthanam temple in Andhra Pradesh's Ananthapuramu district, gold jewellery valued at Rs 5 lakh has gone missing. The jewellery was a donation from a devotee named Lakshmi, who had made a vow to give a significant offering if her husband recovered from Covid-19. The theft was discovered during the Hundi counting process. The temple's Executive Officer, Ramesh Babu, had wrapped the jewellery in a bundle, which went missing under suspicious circumstances. It was later found that the bundle might have been tampered with during counting. Temple priests reported the missing items to higher authorities. Upon inspecting the bundle in front of district officials, it was confirmed that some items were indeed missing. An investigation is now underway to determine the involvement of temple staff or officials in this incident. Previous complaints of missing offerings, like rice and dal, have raised concerns about the temple's handling of donations. Higher authorities are considering replacing certain staff and officials due to ongoing issues. MRO Salim Bhasha has committed to investigating the situation and will submit a report. Many devotees are upset and shocked by the disappearance of their valuable offerings, which they give to fulfill vows or seek divine help. The practice reflects their deep devotion, symbolized by acts such as offering hair.