Bhubaneswar: The Commissionerate Police Monday arrested a person on charges of stealing money from the Hundi or collection box placed inside Lingaraj temple March 15 here. The accused is identified as Basant Goud, 40, of Malapada in Balangir Town. He has been staying in the city for more than 15 years.
According to sources, Goud reportedly makes a living by working as a daily wager. He also claimed about working in hotel at Baramunda area that the police are probing. Goud revealed during the probe that this is for the first time that he is involved in any crime and have no criminal history.
He devised an innovative way to steal the money from the Hundi that came to fore through the CCTV footage. He usually makes paper packets (thunga). Then he applied adhesive to the thungas. He entered the temple and put the packets inside the Hundi where the coins or notes put by other devotees, got fixed to the adhesive applied on the packet.
Subsequently, he takes out the packet and collect the money fixed on them. However, this time he failed to get away with the crime as his activities were recorded through the CCTVs installed inside the temple.
Goud claimed that he used to distribute the money among the poor when asked by cops what he did with the money. Investigation is still on in this regard to ascertain his involvement in other similar crimes.