AHMEDABAD: In Gujarat, a surge in burglaries is hitting not only homes left vacant during Diwali vacations but also temples, according to government data.
Over the past three years, thieves have stolen a total of Rs 4.93 crore in cash and valuables from temples across the state.
Gujarat reported 501 temple theft incidents: 151 temples were targeted in 2020-21, 178 in 2021-22, and 172 in 2022-23. In addition, there were five armed robberies in temples, intensifying concerns over temple security statewide.
Gujarat Congress spokesperson Hiren Banker criticized the government, saying the incidents of looting and theft in temples, which hold deep significance for Gujaratis, are being met with little more than promises of CCTV installations by the home department.
“Is the BJP, which campaigns in God’s name, only concerned with securing votes?” he asked. “Even during Navratri, incidents of assault on women occur and illegal activities like bootlegging and drug trade operate openly. The reality is the state police is facing a severe shortage of personnel, with the number of police personnel falling below the national average,” Banker said.
Private residential homes too are the target. According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, Gujarat has witnessed a troubling surge in home burglaries and robberies over recent years, underscoring persistent challenges in crime prevention.
Nighttime burglaries have consistently overshadowed daytime incidents. In 2017, there were 3,957 burglaries reported at night, but by 2022, that number fell to 2,936.
Daytime burglaries also saw a decrease, from 440 cases in 2017 to 359 in 2022. However, the overall burglary rate per lakh population fluctuated, peaking at 6.9 in 2017, dropping to 3.9 in 2020, and rising again to 4.6 in 2022. Robberies showed a mixed pattern, with 1,277 cases in 2017, which dropped significantly to 498 in 2020, before stabilizing at around 575 cases in 2022.
Over the six-year period from 2017 to 2022, Gujarat recorded a total of 18,453 night burglaries, 2,489 day burglaries, and 5,428 robberies, reflecting ongoing security concerns for residents across the state. The state government at present controls 13 temples in Gandhinagar district,13 in Valsad district, eight in Rajkot district, 16 in Porbandar district, four of Surat district and one temple each in Junagadh, Surendranagar, Jamnagar, Mehsana and Banaskantha districts. These include the ancient temples at Somnath, Dwarkadhish and Akshardham. The security of the temples is a tricky task given the strength of the police force as well as encroachments around such places.
The Somnath temple in Veraval, Gujarat is one of the richest temples in India, with a net worth of around Rs 100 crore: The Somnath temple in Gujarat is heavily protected by police and has a Z+ security grade. Non-Hindus need prior permission to enter the temple due to security concerns and to protect the sanctity of the religious place.