Hans News Service New Delhi

TheShri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has tightened surveillance over donations offered by devotees at the Ram temple, with every stage of the collection and counting process now being videographed as part of enhanced transparency measures introduced amid an ongoing probe into the alleged theft of temple offerings. Trustee Mahant Dinendra Das told PTI that the new system has been in place since July 25 and covers the entire chain of handling donations -- from removing empty boxes from the counting room to transporting, filling, sealing and returning them under continuous camera surveillance. An eight-member monitoring team has been deployed, and the process is being recorded through 360-degree cameras, he said.

Around 40 donation boxes installed across the temple premises are now being emptied on different days instead of all at once, Das stated.

“Before a donation box is emptied, the entire process of taking an empty box from the counting room, carrying it to the donation box, placing the offerings in it and returning the sealed box to the counting room is videographed,” he told PTI, adding that two professional videographers have been deployed for the purpose.

The monitoring team comprises two bank employees, two trust representatives, two private security personnel and other designated staff.