TEMPLE ROBBED

AN early morning robbery at the Lakshmi Narayan Temple, in Freeport, sent shock waves through the Siewdass Road community yesterday, when bandits ran away with $160,000 in cash and jewellery, taken from the temple and its pundit.

At about 2 am, yesterday, four masked men entered the home of pundit Gajendra Kumar and his wife, Mamta, and tied them up, demanding the keys to a vault.

The couple’s two and a half-year-old twins were asleep at the time and were not harmed.

The men took $160,000 in cash, jewellery and precious ornaments, from the pundit and his wife who came from India, ten years ago.

Kumar, who remained shaken by the incident, said he just allowed the bandits to take whatever they wanted as he silently prayed for his family’s safety.

He said when the gun was pointed at his head, his daughter woke up and ran to his assailant, hugging him and greeted him with “Hello Uncle. Sita Ram.”

Kumar said the bandit told the child, “Go back to sleep baby.”

The child obeyed and the robbers demanded more money since, according to them, the temple had a huge following so there must have been more cash hidden.

“I told them we keep all the cash in the office,” Kumar said.

After searching the temple for two hours, the bandits locked the doors and left in their vehicle.

“It took a while to untie myself and to call the president of the temple, Seeta Mahabir. By this time the bandits had already gone,” Kumar said.

Freeport police arrived on the scene shortly after 5 am and interviewed the pundit and his wife. They also took fingerprints.

Police provided security for the temple during morning devotions yesterday.

Devotees were unaware of the robbery as they came as early as 6 am for the morning service which began at 8 am.

“When we saw so many people coming to do worship we could not close the temple,” Mahabir said.

She said service went on as usual with the presence of the police on the compound.

Mahabir said we live in trying times and must seek strength and guidance from the Lord.

Caroni Central MP Dr Bhoe Tiwari visited the temple, yesterday, and said the showed that bandits were “studying their targets and hitting when least expected.”

“There has been a series of attacks to religious institutions in the country,” Tiwari said, adding that the country has become a hotspot for crime and robbery.

He expressed disgust in the way the religious leader was man-handled by bandits.

The temple also houses the popular Namaste India Restaurant and is not attached to any of the religious groups in TT.

It is run by an independent committee of devotees from the Freeport and central areas.