A golden relic valued at over Rs. 170,000 reportedly donated by Member of Parliament (MP) Siripala Gamlath to the newly-constructed shrine room at the Isurusumana Vihara in Seepura, Polonnaruwa has been stolen recently.
The shrine room in memory of Gamlath’s daughter was opened by former Presidents Mahinda Rajapaksa and Maithripala Sirisena last month. However, the Minneriya Police have said that the Chief Incumbent of the temple had noticed that the golden relic was missing when he had visited the shrine room last Poya (25 January).
The Thera had then lodged a complaint about the stolen relic with the Minneriya Police.
There has been an increase in the number of robberies that take place inside places of religious worship in recent months, especially at temples and devalas.