Police investigate at the Jagannath temple in Ganjam’s Gosaninuagaon on Wednesday. Picture by Gopal Krishna Reddy

Berhampur, Jan. 8: Brandishing sharp weapons, four persons today went into the store room of the Sri Jagannath Temple in Gosaninuagaon during the early hours and fled with silver and brass ornaments worth Rs 10 lakh each, apart from gold.

The robbers had covered their faces and fled after locking all the five persons in the temple store room. The security guard suffered minor injuries on his left hand, police said.

“The gold and silver ornaments were about 40 years old and were used during festive occasions. The gold ornaments include one mustache (used during Nagarjun besha), two kundala for the ears, one chita, two kirati for Radha and Krishna and others.

“The silver ornaments include three kirati, three kiran (used behind the heads of the deities), three rani necklace, four hands, gold plated khasu necklace, gold plated broom used during chera panhara during rath yatra and some silver utensils.

“The brass ornaments that were also robbed include three kirati, hands, legs, sankha and chakra for the deities. We made these brass ornaments recently. These were kept in iron trunks and wardrobes,” said Panchanan Chowdhury the heriditary trustee of the temple.

The robbers broke the locks of the inner gate of the temple and the storeroom.

“We have formed a special squad to nab the robbers. We have found some clues,” said Amitav Thakur DIG of police southern range, Berhampur, who inspected the temple.

Laxmikant Gouda, the security guard, who is from Chakatentuli near Digapahandi, has been working here for seven years and stays in a special room above the Anand Bazar. He said the robbers attacked him when he came out of the room around 1.30am to attend nature’s call.

“An akhand nama yagna (all-night ritual) was on inside the temple complex and four people were sitting there. I noticed that the inner gate of the temple was open. The goons attacked me from behind and pushed me inside the store room. Me and the four other persons were confined to the store room till 3am when the new shift of kirtan groups arrived,” he said.

Panchanan Chowdhury, the heriditary trustee, said: “The goons had snapped the wire of the loudspeaker fitted in the akhand nama yagna hall before they fled.”

“There are 18 rooms for the kirtan groups near the akhand nama yagna hall. The main gate of the temple remains open to facilitate the entry of the kirtan groups. The robbers used that route,” said Chowdhury.

“We have decided to tighten the security system in the temple. Another security guard will be posted,” he said.