Bhubaneswar, Dec. 25 -- Miscreants decamped with gold ornaments worth several lakhs of rupees and cash from the donation box after breaking into the Rekula Mangala temple in Kamakhyanagar in Dhenkanal, triggering concern over the security of religious places in the region. The theft is suspected to have taken place late on Wednesday night.

The incident came to light on Thursday morning when the temple priest arrived to perform the daily rituals and found the temple door broken and the ornaments of the presiding deity missing. Preliminary assessment suggests that the miscreants forcibly entered the temple, broke open the doors and looted all valuables before fleeing.

According to preliminary estimates, gold ornaments valued between Rs 7 ...