Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR & CE) Minister P.K. Sekar Babu has announced that the mobile phone accidentally dropped into the hundial (donation box) at the Tiruporur Murugan Temple will be returned to its rightful owner.Dinesh, a resident of Ambattur, visited the Tiruporur Kandhaswamy Temple in Chengalpattu district last August. During his visit, he accidentally dropped his iPhone 13 Pro into the temple hundial. Realizing the mistake, he approached the temple authorities and requested the return of his phone.
The temple officials, however, refused his request, citing the tradition that all items deposited in the hundial are considered offerings to the deity. The incident gained attention when the hundial was recently opened in the presence of officials, and the phone was recovered. The authorities handed over the SIM card to Dinesh but kept the phone secured in the templeās safety vault.
Questions about when the phone would be returned have persisted. Addressing reporters today, Minister Sekar Babu said, “This government is one that gives, not takes away. A resolution has been reached to return the mobile phone dropped in the Tiruporur Murugan Temple hundial. Necessary steps will be taken to hand over the phone to the devotee.”