THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The police have recorded the statements of the staff and police officers who were on duty on the day of the theft of the Otturuli from Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple. The police have received statements that clearly show that the Otturuli was not stolen by Dr Ganesh Jha, from Punjab.

According to Dr Ganesh Jha, he walked around the temple for half an hour with the Otturuli which was received by mistake and if anyone had told him in the meantime, he would have returned the Otturuli immediately. However, the employees said that since it was Vijaya Dashami on that day, there was a huge rush of devotees in the temple and the matter was not noticed in the meantime. Jha, his wife and his sister entered the temple through the western nada and returned the same way. The statements of the policemen who were on duty here were also recorded.

The only evidence against Dr Ganesh Jha is the CCTV footage of the uruli, which he was carrying when he walked around the temple, being covered with a mundu when he walked out of the temple. In all other matters, the police are going ahead by relying on Jha's statement. Dr Ganesh Jha has been directed by the police to reach the station every morning as part of the investigation.

The trio had come for darshan between 8 am and 9 am on the 13th of this month. Dr Ganesh Jha was suffering from diabetes and collapsed while standing in a queue under the Ottakkal mandapam. According to Jha, those in the queue picked up the puja items that had fallen on the ground and gave them to him in an Otturuli that was nearby.

With action being taken in the Otturuli theft, including against the policemen on duty on the western nada, attempt is being made to escape citing the excessive rush on Vijayadashami day. CCTV footage clearly shows that Jha walked out of the temple by covering the Otturuli with a mundu.