Gold ornaments, bronze objects, and cash from hundis have been stolen from a Siva temple in Vannivedu village near Walajah town in Ranipet district.
The theft came to light on Tuesday morning when temple priest K. Manoj arrived around 8 a.m. and found the main entrance locks damaged. On entering the temple, he discovered that the lock of the sanctum sanctorum had also been breached. Initial inquiries confirmed that gold jewellery, bronze artefacts, and donation money were among the items taken.
Police said the stolen items are worth around Rs 10 lakh. Fingerprint experts and sniffer dogs were called to the scene to collect clues. A probe is now underway.
What makes this case more alarming is that the temple has reportedly faced more than 40 theft incidents over the past two decades. Authorities point to the isolated location of the temple and the lack of security measures, including CCTV cameras, as key reasons that may have encouraged the burglary.
When temples are targeted repeatedly, faith itself feels under threat.
