Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 16:
Daily religious services at Shree Govindajee temple came to a grinding halt today after the age old temple was looted by unidentified men in the wee hours today.
The looters took away money kept inside five donation boxes and one gold plate idol of Lakshminarayan, said RK Dhakasana, executive officer of Govindajee Temple Board.
The total amount kept inside the five boxes could be around Rs 10,000 as they have not been opened since the last five days, he said adding that the value of the looted idol would be around Rs 3500.The looting was discovered this morning at around 3.20 am when the temple's priest opened the main door for offering daily Mangal Arati and found the southern window opened and the donation boxes scattered here and there.
The iron grill fixed to the same window was also found removed and kept near the same window, he said.
The iron chisel believed to have been used for removing the iron grill and the mattress was also found near the temple, he said.
He further said that as the temple had been defiled by the looters, daily dhoop arati was not performed at the scheduled time but was done after the idols of the temple were offered �Anganyash� (bathing of the idols).
While strongly condemning the looting of the temple, the EO stated that the whole affair of the temple is being run and managed by donations from the public.
Officials of Imphal East Dist police who rushed to the temple on receiving the report about the looting have registered a regular FIR in connection with the looting, he informed adding that MAHUD Minister L Nandakumar Singh who is also the president of the Govindajee Temple Board also came at the temple and took stock of the situation.
The earlier proposal of the temple's board to strengthen the fencing of the temple would be translated into action within a short time to foil similar incident in future, he also said.
Heroin seized: A team of the Imphal West PS Narcotics Cell led by ASI N Khoiba Singh seized 8 gms of heroin from a man near the entrance gate of Namthilok North AOC Imphal this afternoon at around 2.45, said sources.
The arrested man has been identified as Md Abdul Sana Mia (28) s/o Md Abdul Karim of Thoubal Moijing Mina Bazar.