Cong claims valuables stolen from Tripurasundari Temple,

The Congress has lodged an FIR against the Tripurasundari Temple Trust, headed by Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, alleging that many jewelleries donated to the deity, Mata Tripurasundari, by devotees have been stolen.

Tripurasundari temple, built by King Dhanya Manikya in 1501 and located in Gomati district, is one of the 51 "Shaktipeeths" in the country.

The Manikya kings used to run the royal temple before Tripura's merger with the Union of India in 1949.

The Temple Trust was formed in April last year after the BJP led government came to power and the chief minister became its chairman and Gomati district magistrate ex-official secretary.

Gomati district Congress president Soumitra Biswas lodged the FIR in the RK Pur police station Wednesday claiming that the valuables donated to deity were not maintained properly and many of the jewelleries have been stolen.

During the evaluation made in July last year, the Trust recorded 12.95 kg of gold and 65.176 kg silver, a pearl necklace weighing 29 gm and one US dollar among assets in possession of Mata Tripurasundari Temple in its seven vaults.

It is not believable that the temple has only 13 kg of gold, Biswas said.

Tyres and tubes of bicycles, rugs, outdated food coupons and slippers were also found in vaults in them, he said adding, "We have lodged the FIR to find out the actual details of the valuables".

The party had on January 17 submitted a memorandum to the Gomati District Magistrate Tushar Kanti Debnath demanding a high level inquiry into the 'theft'.

"However, the DM, but he declined to initiate any inquiry saying the chief minister is the chairman of the Trust and unless directions come from him, he would not be able to do anything," Biswas told PTI.

The DM was not available for comment.

When contacted, BJP spokesman Nabendu Bhattacharya also sought a proper investigation into the issue.

"It is really unbelievable that the temple which is so old and was looked after by the kings has only 13 kg of gold," Bhattacharya said.