The Ambaji Temple Trust and the Banaskantha district administration have introduced a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to strengthen security and ensure greater transparency in the temple’s treasury counting process following a recent theft.
Banaskantha Collector Mihir Patel said immediate action was taken after the incident, and the revised SOP has been put in place to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The theft was detected around two months ago during the temple’s regular Tuesday counting of donations, when a bundle of cash was allegedly stolen by temple employee Chirag Thakor. Following an internal inquiry, the temple trust lodged a complaint with the Ambaji Police.
During the investigation, police arrested Chirag Thakor, Vivek Sharma and Nikunj Patel, all of whom were employed by the temple. The three accused were subsequently dismissed from service.
As part of the new SOP, the entire donation counting process will be monitored through more than 20 CCTV cameras, with video recordings preserved for at least six months.
The revised system also makes security screening mandatory for all employees involved in the counting process. Staff members will undergo checks with metal detectors before entering and after leaving the counting room, while security personnel will conduct additional inspections to prevent any malpractice.
To improve transparency, the temple trust has also decided to live-stream the treasury counting process on the LED screen at Chachar Chowk within the temple premises.
Collector Mihir Patel said the new measures are intended to strengthen devotees’ confidence, ensure complete transparency in the management of temple donations and prevent any future irregularities.