VISAKHAPATNAM: Thieves broke into Visakhapatnam city’s famous Karaka Chettu Polamamba Temple and took away 35 tolas of gold ornaments, including the golden crown of the Goddess, apart from four kg of silver ornaments, in the wee hours of Sunday.
Police reached the spot soon after receiving information. They found that the back door of the temple had been broken to gain entry into the sanctum sanctorum. Keys of the almirah in which the gold and silver ornaments had been kept were left hanging on the wall, making it easy for the miscreants.
Significantly, the thieves cut connections of the 17 CC cameras and also took away the hard disc and VCR along with the ornaments, apart from the cash in hundi, which they broke.
The lone watchman told police that a few people had come to the temple around midnight and asked him in Hindi whether they could sleep inside the temple premises. They went away in their vehicles when he said no. Later, he said, he had slept off.
Sniffer dogs and fingerprint experts have been pressed into service. But they have found no clues. “We are questioning the temple staff and people living near the temple,”’ said a senior police officer. The temple is located just 100 meters away from Three Town Police Station and the district superintendent of police’s office, where sentries are there round the clock.
Local MLA Velkagapudi Ramakrishnababu visited the temple and spoke to police and executive officer Neelima.
