STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: Unidentified miscreants allegedly broke into the Purva Tirupati Sri Balaji Temple at Betkuchi along NH-27 in Guwahati and decamped with cash and valuables from donation boxes during the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday.
According to temple authorities, the thieves allegedly disabled the CCTV surveillance system for several hours before carrying out the theft. The incident came to light on Thursday morning, following which senior police officials visited the temple and launched an investigation.
A representative of the temple management said the burglars targeted the donation boxes of three shrines within the temple complex, including the Sri Balaji Temple, the Durga Temple and the Padmavati Temple, before fleeing with cash and other valuable items.
Temple authorities said the exact value of the stolen cash and articles could not be determined immediately as an assessment was still underway.
Members of the temple committee stated that this was believed to be the first theft reported at the Purva Tirupati Sri Balaji Temple since it was established in 1998. Police have initiated an investigation to identify those involved and ascertain the circumstances surrounding the incident.
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