Hyderabad: Police from the Rachakonda Central Crime Station (CCS) LB Nagar and Ibrahimpatnam caught three individuals involved in stealing idols. They recovered idols valued at Rs 5.36 lakh.
The arrested individuals are Karacha Sivananda (52) from Kurnool, Sk Ham Shareef (38) from Prakasam District, and Akkapalli Kranthi Kumar (31), who received the stolen items, from Uppal. They were detained at Mangalpally X road on Wednesday. Police registered a case under U/s 303 (3), 305 BNS and seized 13 panchaloha idols and other items worth Rs 5.36 lakh.
Police revealed that Sivananda came to Hyderabad six months ago, doing labor work and staying in a rented room in NGO Colony Vanasthalipuram. Shareef was homeless and stayed at labor sites in LB Nagar. They met at these labor locations.
Rachakonda Police Commissioner G Sudheer Babu explained that Sivananda planned to steal temple idols. They needed a vehicle to visit villages and escape quickly. They visited villages in Yacharam and Ibrahimpatnam mandal for reconnaissance using a hired auto. On February 27, they stole four temple bells from Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple & Sivalayam in Gandlaguda. On June 15, they took items from Mallanna Swamy temple in Upparaguda village. They repeated these thefts in various temples within the Yacharam and Ibrahimpatnam areas.
On Wednesday at 8:30 am, based on information, CCS LB Nagar and Ibrahimpatnam police arrested them at Mangalpally X road and recovered stolen items worth Rs 5,36,300.
