A burglar, who stole money from the hundial of a Siva temple at Lalapet near Ranipet a week ago, returned it with a letter tendering apology and seeking forgiveness.
On Tuesday evening, temple officials opened the hundial as a routine to count the day’s offerings. Besides coins, they found 20 currency notes in the denomination of ₹500 (amounting to ₹10,000) rolled in a hand-written letter. In the letter, the thief admitted to the crime he had committed on the day of Pournami (June 14) when a large number of people visited the temple from major towns.
After he committed the crime, his family ran into problems and he was depressed, he wrote. Feeling guilty, he returned the money.
A week ago, the villagers and temple officials lodged a complaint with the the Ranipet SIPCOT police about the theft. The temple was locked up for a few days for an investigation. A case was filed, but it remained unresolved.
