The Paivalige Urumi Sri Lakshmi Narayana temple at Urumi, 20 km east of Manjeswaram, was burgled on Monday, a day before it was to be formally handed over to the Malabar Devaswom Board. Two panchaloha idols of Lord Ganesh and 241 grams of gold ornaments, including the one adorned on the idol of presiding deity, and silver articles weighing over 2 kg, worth around Rs. 4.8 lakh, were missing, K. Bijulal, Sub-Inspector, Manjeswaram, said on Tuesday.

Though the burglary was noticed by the priest when he came for the morning puja, a formal complaint with the police was lodged at 5.30 p.m. by an executive officer from the Neeleswaram-based regional office of the Malabar Devaswom Board, which was scheduled to take over the temple affairs from a family trust on Tuesday.

Former trustee of the temple Krishna Nalooraya reported to have sought the takeover the temple by the government citing financial constraints of his family, a police officer said. However, a few family members had opposed his proposal. The police were looking into the possibility of any family members’ involvement in the incident.

The police also had expanded the ambit of the investigation to neighbouring Karnataka. Finger print experts had collected evidence from the temple premises.

“The recovery of three idols from a private plot at Kunjathur, near Manjeswaram, on Monday had no links with the temple burglary,” the SI said said. Kumbla Circle Inspector K. Premsadan is leading the investigation.

Source: The Hindu, DT. June 12, 2013.