Avinash Shukla among 8 arrested over alleged Ayodhya donation theft
India
Eight people, including outsourced workers and trusted aides, have been arrested for allegedly stealing donations from Ayodhya's Ram Mandir.
The main suspect, Avinash Shukla, a schoolteacher, reportedly used CCTV blind spots to sneak cash out of donation boxes and hide it in restrooms before smuggling it away.
Over ₹20L cash and jewelry recovered
Police recovered over ₹20 lakh in cash, foreign currency, and jewelry from Shukla's locations.
Another accused, Anukalp Mishra, a donation counter worker earning ₹15,000 a month, had assets including a house worth around ₹65 lakh, a farmhouse, and an SUV.
Other suspects include a retired bank employee and contract workers; police are now digging through CCTV footage and financial records to trace the full extent of the scam.