Cash stolen from temple donation box in Pune’s Budhwar peth
The worth of stolen currency is between ₹1,200 to ₹1,400 including currency notes and coins.
Cash of Rs1,200 to 1,400 was stolen from a donation box at Pasodya Vithoba temple in Budhwar peth. The incident took place in the night, between Saturday and Sunday.
The theft came to light after the priest of the temple, who performs puja every morning, visited the temple on Sunday morning.
“For now we suspect that the door of the temple was probably left open. There is no sign of forced entry that we have discovered till now,” said police sub-inspector Ajaykumar Patil of Kasba peth outpost of Faraskhana police station who is investigating the case.
The metal chest meant for collection of donations was broken open. PSI Patil estimates the worth of stolen currency is between ₹1,200 to ₹1,400 including currency notes and coins. The donation box was emptied and last opened around a month before lockdown, according to the police.
The temple is located centrally to the market of electronics’ shops in the area. “We are checking for possible CCTV from around the area,” said PSI Patil.
The temple has been in a containment zone from several weeks. The temple has a sculpture of Shivaji Maharaj with Saint Dnyaneshwar which is considered to be symbolic of their meeting at the spot, said police.
The case under Sections 380 (theft in a dwelling house, among others), 454 (lurking house-trespass or house-breaking in order to commit an offence punishable with imprisonment), 457 (lurking house-trespass or house-breaking by night in order to commit an offence punishable with imprisonment) of Indian Penal Code has been registered at Faraskhana police station.