A worrying trend of theft and robbery surfaced with temples on target, as the state’s home department revealed that ₹3.16 crores have been stolen in 411 incidents from the temples of Gujarat in the three years from 2020-2022.
Authorities reported 125 theft cases from temples in 2020, 127 in 2021, and 155 in 2022. Additionally, there was one robbery and two instances of armed robbery during this period.
These numbers translate to an average of over 120 temples being robbed and looted every year in Gujarat.
While the authorities have managed to apprehend 430 thieves and robbers involved in these crimes, 40 accused individuals remain on the run.
In retaliation against these incidents, the department has installed CCTV cameras at the temple premises to monitor daily activity. Moreover, police patrolling has also increased.
Additionally, authorities have set up dedicated posts with police and home guard personnel to avoid further such incidents.