Allegations of Donation Theft at Ayodhya Ram Temple Uncovered
An alarming case of alleged donation theft has emerged at the Ayodhya Ram Temple, prompting an internal investigation by the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. Discrepancies in cash deposits led to the discovery of an organized theft operation involving temple employees. Hidden cameras captured footage of staff exploiting CCTV blind spots to steal money. Further investigation revealed manipulation of cash bundles, allowing employees to pocket extra notes without detection. The scandal has resulted in police action, with significant cash recovered from one of the accused. This incident raises serious concerns about the integrity of donation management at the revered site.
Jun 26, 2026, 13:01 IST
Investigation into Donation Irregularities
The issue of alleged theft of donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya came to light when the 'Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust' noticed discrepancies in the cash being deposited at the bank. Following this, an internal investigation was initiated, revealing an organized gang operating within the temple's donation counting room. According to sources, when officials discovered inconsistencies in the amounts collected from the temple's donation boxes, the Trust began reviewing daily collection records in the last week of May. Typically, each donation box contains around 6-7 lakh rupees, but officials observed a consistent shortage of bundles of 500 rupee notes over several weeks.
Hidden Cameras Expose Employee Theft
Hidden Cameras Reveal Employee Misconduct
Upon suspecting foul play, the Trust reportedly installed hidden cameras in the room where donations are counted. Footage recorded the following week allegedly showed employees exploiting blind spots in the existing CCTV system. Investigators claim that while one employee deliberately stood in front of visible CCTV cameras, another discreetly removed notes from the bundles and concealed them in their clothing.
Manipulation of Cash Bundles
Allegations of Cash Bundle Manipulation
Another method of theft emerged during the investigation. Sources indicated that employees responsible for counting cash intentionally added extra notes to each bundle while reporting a lower count. When the cash reached the bank, officials allegedly counted only the bundles instead of verifying each note, allowing the reported amounts to match the vouchers. However, before depositing the cash, extra notes were removed from each bundle, enabling the accused to steal money without creating discrepancies in the bank records. Reports suggest that Anukalp Mishra, involved in preparing donation vouchers, allegedly orchestrated this fraud with the help of his brother-in-law, Lav Kush Mishra. Following the exposure of this racket, police reportedly recovered nearly 10 lakh rupees in cash from Lav Kush Mishra's residence.