Ram Temple theft accused built Rs 25-lakh house on Rs 12,000 pay
Lavkush Mishra, one of the accused arrested in the alleged theft of donation money from Ayodhya's Ram Mandir, had acquired a plot and begun constructing
Lavkush Mishra, one of the accused arrested in the alleged theft of donation money from Ayodhya's Ram Mandir, had acquired a plot and begun constructing a house worth several lakhs shortly after joining the temple trust. The details have emerged as the probe deepens into Mishra's financial transactions and asset acquisitions, which appear disproportionate to his position on the temple's cash-counting staff. Read Full Story Documents accessed by India Today show that the land was purchased in the name of Mishra's wife, Supriya Mishra, after he joined the Ram Mandir establishment around a year ago. The plot, located near the Ayodhya-Lucknow Highway in the Sahadatganj-Banbirpur area, was purchased for a declared value of Rs 8.8 lakh. The current market value of the land and the under-construction house is estimated at around Rs 25 lakh.
A two-storey house is being built on the approximately 1,000-square-foot plot. The structure is largely complete, with electrification work also underway. Residents of the neighbourhood confirmed to India Today that the construction began in February last year. They said Mishra and his family frequently visited the site during the initial stages of construction and even attended a bhoomi pujan ceremony held before the work commenced. Rajkumar Pandey, a neighbour who identified the property as belonging to Mishra's family, said the accused used to visit the site regularly. "This is the house of Lavkush Mishra. Construction started around February last year. We used to meet him here from time to time," Pandey said. According to residents, labourers were working at the site until recently. However, since the Ram Mandir donation theft case came to light and Mishra's arrest became public, construction activity has abruptly stopped.
"The workers were here until a couple of days ago. Since Sunday, neither the labourers nor any family member has been seen at the site," a local resident said. The development has sparked discussion among locals, particularly because Mishra was reportedly drawing a monthly salary of only Rs 12,000 to Rs 15,000 while working with the Ram Mandir Trust. Neighbours described Mishra and his family as ordinary people who usually travelled on a motorcycle and did not display signs of substantial wealth. "From their lifestyle, it never appeared that they had access to so much money. How they managed to build such a house is something only they can explain," a resident said. Lavkush Mishra, 27, was a member of the staff who counted the offerings and cash. Police have already arrested Mishra and others accused in the case and investigators had recovered about Rs 12 lakh from his house after a recent raid.
The BriefWire