Pics: RK Durga Digitals & Hemanath Padubidri
Daijiworld Media Network -  Udupi(JP/MSP)

Udupi, May 30: Thieves who gained entry into the ancient Katpady Venkataramana temple by breaking open its doors decamped with gold ornaments and cash, on Thursday May 29 night. The thieves forced their entry into the temple sanctum sanctorum and stole around 30 sovereigns of gold ornaments found on the diety. Theft came to light only on Friday May 30 morning when temple priest opened the temple.

The thieves have not even spared the alms box kept inside the temple. They broke open the box, took away the currency notes found inside, leaving behind coins near the temple premises and depositing the empty box in waste paper bin.The temple lock was found to have been thrown into the temple well.

Sniffer dogs were pressed into service immediately after the incident was reported and fingerprint specialists too were summoned to the spot. Kaup circle inspector Vinay Naik, Kaup SI Joy Anthony and crime branch SI Chandrashekar have visited the spot. This temple was also targetted by the thieves about 10 years back, but the things stolen were later traced in Mysore.