Thieves Steal Silver Ornaments Worth Lakhs After Praying at Ancient Hanuman Tekri Temple in Madhya Pradesh
GUNA, Madhya Pradesh — In a brazen act of theft, six criminals looted over 12 kilograms of silver ornaments from the ancient Hanuman Tekri Temple in Guna district, Madhya Pradesh, after first bowing in reverence to the deity. The entire incident, which took place at around 2:56 AM, was captured on the temple's CCTV cameras.
The Hanuman Tekri Temple, believed to date back to the Mahabharata era, is a significant site of devotion for many. The thieves managed to overpower the temple's security guard, Shishupal, tying him to a tree with ropes before breaking into the temple's inner sanctum. The footage shows the robbers entering the sanctum sanctorum, where two of them can be seen bowing before the idols of Hanuman and Siddh Baba before stealing the silver jewelry adorning the statues, including necklaces, crowns, maces, and anklets.
Guna की Hanuman Tekri Mandir में फिर चोरी...गार्ड को बनाया बंधक, मूर्ति के आभूषण और दानपेटी की रकम ले गए चोर#HanumanTekriMandir #GunaNews #MadhyaPradeshNews #MPNews | @guna_police @MPPoliceDeptt pic.twitter.com/XqjcAHguBX
— INH 24X7 (@inhnewsindia) August 25, 2024
One of the thieves, armed with a cutter, meticulously removed the ornaments from the idols, while another helped in the theft. The stolen items include eight silver anklets, three necklaces, two maces, silver footwear, and two umbrellas, totaling over 12 kilograms of silver. The incident has sparked outrage among the temple's devotees, who have expressed their disappointment over the lack of security at the revered site.
The Hanuman Tekri Temple has been the target of theft four times before, raising serious concerns about its security measures. The temple is not only a religious center but has also attracted several prominent figures, including former President Ram Nath Kovind, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, former Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, and former Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh. Notably, Scindia began his election campaign with a special prayer at this very temple.
Following the theft, the local priests reported the incident, and the police have launched an investigation. A dog squad and fingerprint experts have been deployed, and search operations are ongoing in the nearby forest area. The police, working from CCTV footage, are confident that the culprits will be apprehended soon.
This incident has not only raised questions about the security of the Hanuman Tekri Temple but has also left the local community shaken by the brazenness of the crime.