MP: Theft at Omkareshwar temple, 5 policemen suspended

Khandwa:

A cash donation box has been stolen from the Omkareshwar temple complex here, following which five policemen deployed there have been suspended for alleged dereliction of duty, an official said on Wednesday.

The incident took place on the intervening night of Sunday and Monday when an unidentified person allegedly stole the donation box from Panchmukhi Ganesh temple inside the complex here in Madhya Pradesh, he said.

The temple’s CCTV footage revealed that only one constable was seen going inside the guard room without a rifle at 10 pm and after that, no police activity was recorded till morning, Khandwa Superintendent of Police Vivek Singh said.

This obviously means they were sleeping, he said.

Taking advantage of the situation, the thief fled with the donation box of Panchmukhi Ganesh temple, located inside the Omkareshwar temple premises, the official said.

According to a temple official, the donation box had around Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,000 cash.

Five policemen – head constable Ramvrat Yadav and constables Gurudayal, Doodhnath Patel, Sukkal Parte and Lovlesh – who were deployed at the temple were suspended on Tuesday on charges of negligence in duty, the SP said.

The Omkareshwar temple in Khandwa is one of the 12 revered Jyotirlinga shrines of Lord Shiva.