Three persons, including two civic volunteers, have been accused of stealing gold and silver ornaments offered by devotees during Durga Puja in Malda.
Police have detained the trio and are interrogating them.
Dipak Ghosh, the secretary of Gandhi More Sarbojonin Durgotsav Committee, which is in Bairgachi 2 panchayat under the jurisdiction of Gazole police station, said that on “Navami” (Wednesday), as the priest reached the site to offer puja, he could not find some ornaments that were kept in front of the Durga idol.
“When we checked the CCTV footage, we found that both the civic volunteers and another person were picking up the ornaments that were kept near the deity’s feet. We have filed a police complaint,” said Ghosh.
“Altogether, there were ornaments worth around ₹3 lakh. As those were offered to the deity after commencement of the puja, those were kept near the feet,” he added.
During the inquiry, the police checked the CCTV footage of the temple. Gour Chandra Mondal, a civic volunteer who was posted at the temple, was found with Sanjay Mandal, another civic volunteer who was on duty at the nearby Eklakhi Sarbojanin Durga Puja Mandir, at the temple.
“It appears from the footage that both of them were reading books. After some time, Adhir Mandal, a resident, reached there and was seen talking to the duo. Later, it was seen that the trio entered the temple, picked up something from near the idol, and kept it in their pockets,” said a police source.
During interrogation, the duo claimed that they were preparing together for competitive exams and were reading books. Later, Mandal came and told them to take some flowers kept near the Durga idol so that they would come up with good results in
their exams.
“Both the civic volunteers could show the flowers which were kept in their houses, but Mandal failed to do so,” the source added.