Alipurduar, June 24: The Durga Bari temple here was targeted by burglars last night and ornaments and cash worth more than Rs 5,0000 were stolen. The robbers also tried to break open the Radha Krishna temple nearby, but failed.

This is the fifth temple to be looted in the past one month and the latest strike happened minutes after a patrolling police team left the area.

Subol Saha, the secretary of Durga Bari Committee, said they lost faith in the police and decided to post private security personnel to guard the place of worship.

The temple’s gate was found open by the priest of the Kali temple, located nearby. He informed the temple committee members and it was found that two boxes where the devotees deposit money were broken open by the robbers.

The police reached the spot after they were informed about the incident by the committee members.

The other temples where the robbers had struck recently are Mahakal Dham, Bhuboneswari Kali Mandir and Radha Gobindo Mandirs in New Alipurduar and New Town. Apart from them, the robbers had also targeted three houses where there are special rooms for puja.

S.R. Misra, additional superintendent of police, Alipurduar, said preliminary investigation suggested that the same gang was behind all those heists. He added that local people, too, were involved in the crimes. “Otherwise, the robbers could not have carried out the operation soon after the police team left the area,” said Misra.