Penal mandir desecrated – murti smashed, milk drunk, nuts eaten

A MAN broke into a Hindu temple in Penal, damaged a murti, drank milk from a fridge, and ate nuts.

The suspect remained at large on Sunday but detectives said they believe an arrest would be made soon as they got "useful information."

On Friday at around 8 am, a worshipper from the Lakrani Ganesh Mandir at Gopie Trace discovered the mandir broken into. She reported that she had secured the temple on Wednesday and left. All the windows and doors were locked.

She returned on Friday and checks revealed that a small Ganesh murti was smashed. The person also drank from a box of Dairy Dairy low-fat milk that was in a fridge. He also ate some nuts.

A speaker box mounted on a tripod, worth between $3,000 and $4,000, and a flash drive with religious information were missing.

Police believe the suspect was at the mandir a few days earlier when worshippers offered money as part of their religious rituals. Police believe he returned and broke the murti thinking cash offerings were inside the murti.

However, there was no money.

The man pried open a door and got into the mandir. If arrested, he faces sacrilege and break-in and larceny charges. Sgt Boodlal, PCs Ramdass and Hosein visited the scene and the latter is investigating.