Temple staff gives Rs. 2.91 lakh cash to devotee with prasadam

CCTV footage reveals blunder; Devotee to return the money to Male Mahadeshwara Temple 

Hanur: A devotee visiting Male Mahadeshwara Temple in Chamarajanagar District received a ‘bountiful blessing’ from the Lord as he was handed over a bag containing Rs. 2.91 lakh in cash along with the laddu prasadam bag.

The catch here, however, is that instead of the Lord, it was the Temple staffer who inadvertently handed over the cash. The devotee has to now return the money as the Temple management has taken steps to recover the cash from the Temple staffer who was careless.

Due to Amavasya yesterday, a large number of devotees gathered at Male Mahadeshwara Hill Temple in Hanur taluk to have the darshan of the revered Lord Madappa. Nagabhushan, an employee of the Temple who was on duty at the Rs. 500 special darshan counter, accidentally handed over a bag with Rs. 2.91 lakh cash along with laddu Prasadam to a devotee who came in the queue.

The cash bag was kept near the prasadam bags by one of the Temple assistants and Nagabhushan did not check the bag before handing it over to the devotee. Even the devotee did not check the bag and assumed that it is a laddu prasadam bag and left the place.

However, in the afternoon, while checking the accounts and cash inflow, Nagabhushan realised that the cash bag was missing. He immediately informed the Temple officials. When the CCTV camera footage was checked, it was found that Nagabhushan had given the prasadam and cash bag.

According to sources, the Temple authorities directed Nagabhushan to deposit the loss of Rs. 2.91 lakh to the Temple Board. With no other go, he has deposited the money at the Temple.

Basavaraju, Deputy Secretary of Male Mahadeshwara Temple Development Authority told reporters that the devotee has been identified and his relatives have been contacted over the phone. “The devotee has assured us that he would return the money within a day or two. Once the money reaches us, we will return the same to the Temple staffer who had to shell out the lost cash,” he said.