Gold for Goddess: 40 gm in 10 yrs,443 in a month

After a complaint from a priest of the famous Tulja Bhavani Temple in Osmanabad alleging misappropriation during the auction of the six sinhasan petis (donation boxes),the boxes were sealed from March 18 to April 18 on the orders of Latur joint charity commissioner Sunil Kotwal. Against just 40 grams of gold known to have been collected as donations in the last 10 years,the gold collected in the one-month period,when the boxes were sealed,was found to be 443 grams.

The donation boxes were sealed from March 18 to April 18. During the period,the temple received donations to the tune of Rs 22 lakh in cash,443 grams of gold and 5 kg silver. President of Tuljapur Temple Priests Association Kishor Gangane had alleged misappropriation.