Hyderabad, July 2, 2013: The committee members of Sri Simhavahini Mahankali temple at Lal Darwaza in the Old City on Monday demanded that the government direct the police to allow them to make ornaments out of the gold and silver biscuits along with precious stones recovered from thieves.

The committee wanted to make the ornaments to adorn the deity in view of the forthcoming Bonalu festival.

Made into biscuits

Committee vice-president A. Manik Prabhu Goud told reporters here that the thieves, who were arrested in connection with the temple theft case last year, had converted the stolen gold and silver ornaments into biscuits by melting them.

The police had recovered the stolen booty and handed it over to the court which gave interim custody of the gold and silver biscuits to the temple committee. Mr. Goud said the temple was one of main epicentres of religious festivities during the annual Bonalu festival in the Old City and scores of devotees from Telangana offer prayers at this historic temple.

Therefore, the government should intervene and direct the police to give permission to make ornaments with gold and silver biscuits.

Last October, thieves made away with gold and silver ornaments, including a diamond ‘bindi’ presented by the Nizam in 1908 by breaking into the temple leading to tension in the area. The police later arrested three persons and recovered the stolen ornaments.

Source: The Hindu, DT. July 2, 2013.