Pune: Sevak Booked for Allegedly Stealing Money from Donation Box Cash at Alandi’s Sant Dnyaneshwar Temple
Alandi, 23rd May 2026: A worker at the Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj Samadhi Temple in Alandi has been booked for allegedly stealing cash from the temple’s donation box, police said.
The accused, identified as Vishal Balu Warule, was employed as a sevak (temple worker) at the shrine. A complaint in the matter was lodged by the management of the Dnyaneshwar Maharaj Sansthan at Alandi Police Station.
According to the police investigation, the alleged theft took place on May 12, 13 and 16, 2026, when the accused was assigned the duty of depositing cash collected from the donation box with the cashier.
Police said Warule allegedly diverted cash while transferring the money from the donation box into buckets, concealing the amount in his personal bag without attracting attention. Investigators suspect that he stole around Rs 15,000 over the three days.
The alleged theft came to light during preliminary inquiry and scrutiny of CCTV footage, police said.
The incident has triggered anger among devotees and local residents, with many questioning the management and security arrangements at the temple. Locals claimed that incidents of theft involving offerings at the shrine had surfaced earlier as well.
Police said further investigation is underway to ascertain whether similar incidents had occurred in the past or if more persons were involved.
