Pooja goods of Devaswom Board's temple stolen and sold; retired Devaswom employee getting help from employees

PATHANAMTHITTA: Devaswom Vigilance has found that offerings at Malayalapuzha, a main temple of the Devaswom Board, are being stolen and sold. The items that devotees buy from the puja stall and offer to the temple are being stolen and resold through the same stall. A retired Devaswom employee, who runs the stalls he obtained through an auction, is behind the theft. He is getting help from employees. The auction money has not been paid. The stalls were auctioned for Rs 8.26 lakh. Although there is a register that the money was received, there are no bank records.

CCTV footage has been received of goods being smuggled through the western entrance of the temple, tied in sacks. Nilavilakku (traditional floor lamps), incense sticks, camphor, silks, etc. were smuggled. The pooja stall employee would steal the goods and move them out. The watcher would help in this. The Malayalapuzha police have registered a case only against watcher Ranjith on the complaint of the Devaswom Board.