A man in India accidentally donated more than he intended when his iPhone accidentally slipped into a temple’s donation box, only to have his request for its return denied on traditional grounds.
According to India Today, the temple asserted that the iPhone is now temple property.
Dinesh’s phone fell into the donation box at the Arulmigu Kandaswamy temple in Thiruporur near Chennai as he was making an offering.
Source: India Today
When he approached temple officials for its return, they politely declined, explaining that items deposited into the box are deemed the “deity’s property”.
The temple allowed him to retrieve data from the phone but insisted the device itself would remain in their possession.
Source: India Today
Dinesh escalated the issue to Minister of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments, PK Sekar Babu, insisting that the phone be returned to him.
However, Mr Sekar sided with the temple’s decision. He said that any item deposited into the box, accidental or not, becomes a part of the “deity’s account”.
“As per the practices and traditions of temples, offerings made in the donation box are considered the property of the deity,” said the minister. “Rules do not allow us to return such offerings.”
He did, however, express willingness to explore alternate forms of compensation for Dinesh.
Interestingly, a similar incident occurred at another temple where a woman’s gold chain accidentally fell into a donation box as she was removing a garland to make an offering.
In that case, the temple chairman replaced the chain out of his own pocket after verifying her account via security footage.
Under Indian law, offerings deposited into temple donation boxes, whether accidental or deliberate, cannot legally be returned.
Also read: Woman in India miraculously survives water tank falling on her moments after making temple donation
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Featured image adapted from India Today.
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