Unidentified thieves stole ornaments and cash from Maa Santoshi temple in Junani village, Nuapada. The priest Manmohan Shukla reported the theft to founder Mulchand Singhal. Khariar police are investigating. Unidentified miscreants allegedly stole ornaments and cash from the donation box of Maa Santoshi temple at Junani village under Khariar police station in Nuapada district on Tuesday night.As per reports, the priest of the temple Manmohan Shukla found the theft when he opened the temple.Subsequently, Shukla informed about the theft incident to the founder of the temple Mulchand Singhal. A written complaint in connection with the case has been lodged at Khariar police station.Khariar police reportedly reached the spot and started an investigation into the case.As per sources, the miscreants entered the temple premises with a bamboo made ladder and looted ornaments from the temple by breaking the lock. They decamped after looting the cash from the donation box, alleged locals.The thieves have reportedly fled the spot by leaving the ladder and throwing the broken donation box behind the temple.“The thieves entered the temple premises by using a ladder and decamped after looting ornaments. They also broke the donation box and stole the cash amount. The donation box was not opened for the last seven years and we don’t know the exact amount of cash in it. I immediately informed the founder of the temple about the theft case,” said Manmohan Shukla, priest of the temple.“The priest informed my father about the theft case. After visitingthe spot, we found that ornaments from the temple and cash from the donation box being stolen. We have lodged an FIR about the incident at Khariar police station,” said Tinu Singhal, son of temple founder Mulchand Singhal.In response, Khariar SDPO Abhisek Arup Behera said, “Based on the complaint, we have started an investigation into the incident. A scientific team has also been sent to the spot.”