Ambaji Temple theft: Counting staffer caught stealing donations on camera
What's the story
The Ambaji Temple in Gujarat has been rocked by a donation theft scandal, much like the recent incidents at Ayodhya's Ram Mandir and Uttarakhand's Badrinath Temple. Exclusive CCTV footage obtained by Times Now Navbharat shows Chirag Thakor, the prime suspect in the case, hiding cash under his foot and slipping it into his trousers during the donation counting process. The footage dates back to April 21, 2026, over two weeks before the theft was discovered on May 7, 2026.
Discovery details
Theft discovered during weekly donation counting
The theft was discovered during the weekly donation counting process, where around ₹1.04 lakh was found missing.
Investigators allege Thakor, who worked in the donation counting section, tried to hide cash in his clothes.
The incident came to light when currency notes fell from his clothes while he was leaving the counting room.
Additional arrests
Arrest of 2 other temple staffers
The police probe also led to the arrest of two other temple staffers, Vivek Sharma and Nikul Patel. The duo is accused of tampering with the temple's CCTV system during the theft.
All three accused have been arrested, sent to judicial custody, and later released on bail. They are currently out on bail.
Security upgrades
Stringent security measures implemented post-theft
In the wake of the theft, the Banaskantha district administration and Ambaji Temple Trust have implemented stringent security measures.
Donation counting is now monitored by over 20 CCTV cameras with footage stored for six months instead of 30 days.
The process is also live-streamed on LED screens within the temple premises for transparency.
Security measures
New SOP for donation counting process
Further, all staff members involved in donation counting are now subject to metal detection before entering and after exiting the counting room in the presence of police personnel.
Employees are also prohibited from wearing clothes with large pockets.
Banaskantha Collector Mihir Patel said that after detecting the theft, the Temple Trust immediately lodged an FIR against all three accused, terminated their services, and implemented a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to enhance security and prevent future incidents.