Harda, Madhya Pradesh: In a gesture that promotes communal amity, a group of Muslims here has gifted a sound system to a Hindu temple after the device was stolen a few days ago. 

Local Muslim Teohar Committee donated the sound system to Abhaydata Hanuman Mandir, located on the Indore Road, on Sunday. "Thieves broke into the temple and stole the loudspeaker about five days back. A police complaint was also lodged. Some Muslim brothers donated a new sound system on Sunday. I thank them on behalf of the temple committee," said Deepak Uprit, a priest of Hanuman Mandir said. 

The shrine's donation box was also stolen, but it has been recovered by police. Committee president Shahid Khan said he noticed there was no sound of devotional songs coming from the temple and came to know the sound system was stolen some days back. "I was not hearing any sound of devotional songs for the past few days. I came to know that sound system of the temple was stolen and inquired whether they had got a new one or not. 

Then, we bought a new sound system and gifted it to them," he added. The committee managing the temple expressed gratitude to the minority community for their gesture. "We were considering purchasing a new sound system, but in the meantime, the Muslim Teohar Committee donated us a sound system. Their gesture is really praiseworthy," Hanuman Temple Committee member Manoj Patel said. 

 Harda Police Station inspector Deepak Aathnere said the temple committee had complained about the theft about four days back. "We have registered a case. The donation box has been recovered, but we are still searching for the sound system," he added. PTI