Hard to believe

Ayodhya temple donation theft case dismays devotees, forcing the government to act quickly to restore public trust

- BY PRATUL SHARMA

In April, Champat Rai addressed a gathering that included sangh leaders and religious figures at the annual Ayodhya Parv in Delhi's Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts.

The holy city's renewal, said the general secretary of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, went beyond roads and buildings. It reflected "a continuous process of social and cultural awakening", he said, with the Ayodhya temple symbolising a national revival rooted in Lord Ram's ideals.

Few in the audience would have imagined that, within weeks, Rai—the trust's most powerful official—would have to resign. Allegedly, crores of rupees in donation money had been siphoned off under his watch. Facing mounting criticism, he stepped down on moral grounds. As did trustee Anil Mishra, who had been one of the temple's most visible faces after serving as principal yajman (host) during the consecration ceremony in 2024.

The exact amount lost might never be known as money was allegedly being removed before it was officially counted. But the more troubling question is: how did the alleged theft continue for weeks inside one of the country’s most secure religious complexes?

The answer lies inside a room rarely seen by devotees. Every day, around 80,000 pilgrims visit the temple and drop cash and jewellery into boxes across the complex. Once opened, the offerings are moved to a secure room where employees count the money.

However, there were reports that the trust itself, during routine checks, suspected that money was being stolen and began an internal audit. To verify this, it installed hidden cameras in the counting room—apparently, the culprits were obstructing the view of the visible cameras.