Guidelines soon for counting of money offered in temple donation boxes: Dakshina Kannada DC

Mangaluru: After an allegation surfaced that a trustee had siphoned off currency notes during the counting process of money collected in the offering box at Kadri Sri Manjunatha temple, the district administration has decided to publish guidelines for the counting process at all temples in the district.

Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner Dr. Rajendra K. V. told ‘Udayavani’ that there were no specific guidelines for counting money collected in the hundis (donation boxes) at temples. The decision on the guidelines will be discussed and passed at the meeting of the Religious Council (Dharmika Parishad) scheduled to be held on Monday, he added.

Talking about the action taken to find the truth in the allegations made against the trustee, the DC said that the assistant commissioner of the religious endowments department (Muzrai Department) has been asked to examine the CCTV footage of the temple and submit a report to ascertain the veracity of the allegations.  Based on the report, further legal action will be initiated, he added.

It may be recalled that several allegations surfaced that a woman trustee had stolen money during the counting of money donated to the Kadri temple.

On Thursday, H K. Purushottam, who is a trustee of Kadri Sri Manjunatha Temple, lodged a complaint at the Kadri Police station requesting an inquiry into the allegations.  At the same time, he has also raised a complaint with the executive officer of the temple and requested that the truth be revealed in the matter.