Villagers in Chadmal Thanda, Gandhari mandal, discovered counterfeit Rs 500 notes among the offerings at Lashamamma temple after the annual Sankranti festival. The fake currency was found in bundles of notes collected from the temple hundi, with reports estimating its total value at Rs 1 crore.
The temple committee, which lends money to villagers at low-interest rates, was alerted when borrowers noticed three to four counterfeit notes in the bundles. They immediately reported the issue to the committee, which in turn informed the police.
Lashamamma temple is a focal point for Sankranti celebrations, drawing large donations from devotees for its development. The discovery of fake notes has raised concerns among villagers and the authorities.