Shri Ram Janmabhoomi theft leads to 8 arrests, 20L recovered
After a major donation theft at Ayodhya's Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple, big changes are happening.
Eight people, including Avinash Shukla and Lavkush Mishra, were arrested for allegedly stealing during the counting process, and over ₹20 lakh in cash and gold chains linked to accused Avinash Shukla has been recovered.
The incident exposed some serious gaps in the temple's security, like CCTV footage being overwritten too soon.
Ayodhya temple tightens donation handling rules
To fix things, the temple now requires employees to wear pocketless gowns and go through mandatory frisking before handling donations.
Personal items like wallets and phones must be left outside high-security zones. Only preapproved staff can enter these areas, with their movements closely tracked.
Plus, authorities are reviewing whether to keep CCTV footage longer to prevent future thefts, aiming to protect daily offerings (about ₹75 lakh) and rebuild trust with visitors.