Sri Vijaya Puram, Aug. 14: A court in Mayabunder has convicted and sentenced an accused in two separate temple theft cases involving the theft of donation money from temples in North and Middle Andaman, highlighting the legal consequences of offences targeting places of worship and charitable collections.
According to official information, the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC), Mayabunder, on August 11 convicted the accused in connection with two criminal cases registered at Rangat and Kadamtala police stations. Both cases involved thefts from temple donation boxes after their locks were broken.
The accused was found guilty of stealing cash from the donation boxes of Hanuman Temple at Rangat and Hari Mandir at Katai Dera. The offences were registered separately at Police Station Rangat and Police Station Kadamtala.
Following the trial, the court sentenced the accused in each case to six months’ imprisonment under Section 380 of the Indian Penal Code for theft and six months’ imprisonment under Section 457 of the IPC for house-trespass or lurking house-trespass by night after preparation for committing an offence. The court also imposed a total fine of ₹5,000.
The cases were investigated by Assistant Sub-Inspector Sanjay Yadav and Sub-Inspector Devesh Raj Singh. The investigations formed part of the prosecution that resulted in the conviction and sentencing of the accused.
Temple donation boxes contain contributions made by devotees and are intended to support religious activities and temple management. Theft of such collections affects religious institutions and involves criminal offences under the law.
The judgment brings legal closure to both cases registered in North and Middle Andaman and follows judicial examination of the evidence placed before the court. The conviction pertains to the theft of donation money from the two temples after the locks of the donation boxes were broken.
The order marks the conclusion of proceedings before the trial court in relation to the two registered cases and records the punishment awarded under the relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code.
