Triple murder fallout: State govt to open temple Hundis once a month


Bengaluru, Sep 12 (IANS): A day after the shocking triple-murder case involving priests in Mandya, Muzarai (Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowment) minister, Srinivasa Poojari on Saturday said the Karnataka Government will take steps to open temple hundis (collection boxes) once a month to avoid such tragedies.

Speaking to reporters after handing-over the Rs 5 lakh ex-gratia cheque to family members of the deceased in Mandya, Poojari directed Deputy Commissioner Rohini Sindhuri to take steps to repair dysfunctional CCTV cameras inside and outside temple premises.

At present, the Muzarai department opens the Hundis once in three months and collect the accumulated cash offerings. But in the case of Arkeshwara temple, located on the outskirts of Mandya city, the Hundi hadn't been opened for the last 10 months. As a result the 'hundi' contained a huge cash collection.

According to the police, the hundis are opened especially in presence of Muzarai deparment's assistant commissioner which is a must for an "A" category temple while a Tehsildar's presence is required in "B" category temples.

"Since March, the entire state has been in the grip of the pandemic. In particular, it was Mysuru which was affected most adversely. As a result entire government machinery was completely busy with tackling the pandemic. With the district administration's priorities changed. Hence the hundi collection was not taken out. The assailants must have sensed this and decamped with the hundi cash by killing three priests," an officer added.

The officer added that the irony of the deceased priests is that they get a chance to be priests for two-days in a year. "The Arkeshwara temple has a custom that a family which performs the first pooja is only entitled to carry out pooja in this temple. Over the centuries the family has grown to such an extent, each of the family members get only two or three days in a year to be the priests of this temple," the source explained.

Meanwhile, speaking to IANS, Superintendent of Police, K. Parshuram said that the police has formed special teams AAto probe into the murder and circumstantial evidence indicates that it was murder for gain. A"Based on our clues we are tracking a nomadic gang, we have kept close watch on the movements, I am hopeful that culprits will be nabbed soon," he added.

  

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Comment on this article

  • Rita, Germany

    Mon, Sep 14 2020

    Now slowly one can imagine how and who are the thieves .The one knew cctv was in disorder ,and money was not collected for 10months ,there will be a huge amount of money there.Why did they not repair the cctv ,and mostly who repairs etc.?who collects the money mostly?It is really a tragody ,for the familys of killed priests.Hope they will catch the real culprits very soon and hard punished.Just control the bank accounts of people who work for temples.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Arman, Dubai

    Sun, Sep 13 2020

    Is that an alternative for safety? This kind of decisions discloses how terribly week our system becomes,
    If you are unable to maintain law and order, cant ensure the security of citizens, be shameful.

    DisAgree Agree [1] Reply Report Abuse

  • Kevin Pinto, Mangalore

    Sat, Sep 12 2020

    We want CBI enquiry..! This is the failure of the BJP government

    DisAgree [17] Agree [22] Reply Report Abuse

  • Naresh, Udupi

    Sun, Sep 13 2020

    This is called frustration.

    DisAgree [3] Agree [11] Reply Report Abuse

  • KV Kamath, Mangalore

    Sat, Sep 12 2020

    Dear Minister Sir,
    I request you to reconsider decision of the Government to use the money in offertory boxes for purposes other than development of temples, veda schools,renovation or rejuvenation of dilapidated structures of temples,art and culture. Has the Government in the past bothered on other religions offerings? Why targeting Hindu temples only?
    Money may pour in, if Hundis are placed in Muzrai Department of every taluk. The money offered in temple hundis are for development of those temples or offerings to that god.Please don't snatch that income of temple.

    DisAgree [9] Agree [23] Reply Report Abuse

  • Deshbhakt, Mangalore

    Sat, Sep 12 2020

    Mr. Kamath, do you know how much collection is taken from temples, and how much from other religion places of worship ? Please study the Endowment Act. There is a slab for temples that get below 2 Lakh collection per year, above 2 to 5, and above 5 lakh collection per year. Tax for (1) can be 2%, (2) 5% and (3) might be 10%. Well, other institutions are bound to pay 35% and above, as per personal tax a common person is paying.

    If you are thinking that the entire collected money from a temple is going to the government, you need to find it out yourself. Now, tell me, what happens to the money after paying the percentage paid to the government ? That too please find out, before questioning if other religions are/or not, making a payment to the government and whether their administrators are given a salary as the temple priest are given. Or, whether other religion's places of worship are renovated/developed as temples are done.

    You still have an option. Don't put to the Hundi, put to the thatte. Make the priests richer and yet plead the govt to increase their salary. Visit their personal place of residence to see the riches they have in property/gold/vehicles. Please don't let go your chance.

    DisAgree [7] Agree [27] Reply Report Abuse

  • Mohan Prabhu,, Mangalore (Kankanady)/

    Sun, Sep 13 2020

    How can India claim that its constitution has a fundamental right to religion when it snatches away the offerings made to temples (today Hindu temples; tomorrow may be mosques, churches or other places of worship and manage it as it wishes? Where have fundamental rights gone? Is it constitutionally viable? The Indian Supreme Court should some day addresses these issues.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse


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Title: Triple murder fallout: State govt to open temple Hundis once a month



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