Workers collect the piece that fell off the top of a temple (portion circled) on the Lingaraj temple complex on Friday. Pictures by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, June 15: The crown of an auxiliary shrine on the premises of the 11th century Lingaraj temple was destroyed by lightning even as pre-monsoon showers lashed the capital this afternoon bringing respite from the heat.

Temple officials said the side temple, Mayuragiriya, which is about 25 feet high, was lying unused and no one was around it when the lightning struck and the kalash (crown), made of granite and weighing more than a quintal, fell off.

“After the incident, we visited the spot and informed the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). The conservation of the entire temple premises has been entrusted to them,” said executive officer of Lingaraj temple administration A.K. Pattnaik. “No deity is worshiped there. It is located behind the temple kitchen, beside the boundary wall close to the Lingaraj daily market,” he said. “The stone fell at around 4.45pm and cracks appeared on the walls of the side temple,” said Raj Kishore Mohapatra, a priest.

There are nearly 100 big and small temples on the Lingaraj temple premises. The priests complained that the ASI authorities were only concentrating their conservation activities on the main temple while other small temples remained neglected.

“The ASI teams are not conducting routine inspections. While they have attached a lightning arrester to the main temple, all other temples lack such protection,” said Rabi Garabadu, another priest.

Former superintending archaeologist of State Archaeology Bijay Kumar Rath said only temples that are more than 50 feet high are fixed with lighting arresters.

Deputy superintending archaeologist, ASI, Bhubaneswar circle, Hemasagar A. Naik said: “ASI experts will inspect the site. As of now, we have information that a parsva deula (side temple) has been damaged by lighting. ASI will take a decision to provide lighting arresters irrespective of the height of the smaller temples.”

Lightning also killed a milkman at the Niladri Vihar slum here. The deceased, identified as Sudarshan Behera, was working in his cowshed with his son when lightning struck them. While Sudarshan died on the spot, his son sustained injuries. One of the cows also died.

Bhubaneswar recorded 22.8mm rain on Friday, which lasted for about three hours.

Titilagarh, Balangir and Gopalpur also received rainfall today. Officials of the Indian Meteorological Department predict a higher humidity level and more thundershowers in the city tomorrow.