The CCTV system wires at the temple were cut and damaged – RONCAST
Police are investigating an alleged act of sacrilege following a break-in at the Vuniniudrovo Ram Krishna Hanuman Mandir in Sawani, where thieves made off with cash, a television set, a standing fan, and key components of the temple’s CCTV system.
Speaking to media, temple president Salesh Karan said the incident appears to have been planned, noting that the CCTV camera decoder was among the items stolen.
“The biggest loss is the camera decoder. The rest of the system can be reconnected, but without that decoder, we’ve lost critical footage,” Mr Karan said.
He added that while the temple plans to reinstall and upgrade its security system, there are growing concerns about repeated targeting.
“We will be installing the cameras again, but the worry is where to keep everything safe. These things can be targeted again. We may have to increase security and even have people come and sit at the temple in the evenings,” he said.
Mr Karan said members of the community had noticed suspicious activity in the days leading up to the incident.
“We live among good neighbouring villages, and I don’t believe they are responsible. But over the past few evenings, we noticed cars slowing down near the temple and then driving off. Just two nights ago, a car stopped outside at night. This looks like planning,” he said.
He is hopeful that remaining footage from other cameras may still assist police.
“If we can access the rest of the cameras and find something, we will definitely hand over any hard evidence to police so those responsible can be caught and prosecuted,” Mr Karan said.
Expressing concern over the frequency of similar incidents nationwide, Mr Karan called for greater vigilance and stronger police presence at night.
“Almost every month we hear of one, two, even three such cases around the country. At night, especially after 11pm, there are people roaming around. Police officers should stop and question them, but nothing seems to be happening,” he said.
He also urged residents to look out for one another and report suspicious behaviour.
“My request to neighbours is to keep an eye on what’s happening around you. It’s not just temples — even houses are being targeted. Over the last six months, I’ve noticed this increase. The question is, are the authorities really looking into these complaints?”
