Chennai, June 23 (BPNS)

As a routine when the authorities of the Siva temple at Lalapet near Ranipet opened the hundi on Tuesday evening, they were in for a surprise. While counting the collection at the hundi they found twenty notes of Rs 500 denomination neatly tied with a note. On reading the note, they found an apology from a person who said that he had stolen money on the full moon (Pournami) day from the temple.

According to belief, Pournami day is an auspicious one at this temple and people had flocked in large numbers. The thief had clearly broken open the hundi on the same day expecting a good collection.

The thief in the letter said that after he had stolen the money from the temple, his peace of mind was lost and that he had faced innumerable problems at home hence he was returning the money.

It may be noted that the Siva temple authorities had lodged a complaint with the local police of the hundi being broken and money lost. The temple was also kept shut for a few days for an investigation by the SIPCOT police station. Even after several days of investigation, there was no clue about the robber and this money and note is a surprise to the temple authorities.

Ranipet SIPCOT police are however not amused and said that the investigation will continue and that they will find out the robber in no time.

A senior officer attached the to the police station said, “ This is not remorse or feeling of guilt, this is only because of the police investigation and he knows that we will catch him for sure.” The police officer said that the burglar may be a person who knows the surroundings and the temple well and hence he is afraid that the long arm of the law will reach him.