A man who posed as a devout worshipper but secretly looted mosques across northern Kerala was finally arrested — not in his hometown, but while partying on Perupalem Beach in Andhra Pradesh’s West Godavari district, over 1,200 km from the scene of his last crime.
Muhammed Salman Ahmad (34), a native of Akividu, had been targeting mosques in broad daylight. His most recent heist occurred on June 24, at Salafi Masjid in Choori, Kasaragod, where he stole ₹3.1 lakh and 8 grams of gold worth ₹1.45 lakh. Surveillance footage captured him entering around 8 am, pretending to pray, and then robbing the mosque.
The theft was discovered five days later by mosque official Muhammed Masood. Police traced the suspect through clear CCTV footage, which matched images from earlier cases in Panoor (Kannur), Malappuram, Palakkad, and Kozhikode. He had been arrested before by Kannur Police but was out on bail and continued his pattern.
Salman had no regular job, lived away from his family, and frequently travelled to Kerala to commit thefts. Before returning to Andhra, he would splurge in Kozhikode, often at local bars. “Some days he’d tip ₹1,000, other days he had nothing,” a bar manager told police.
After days of groundwork and field investigation (not phone tracking), Kasaragod police found him in West Godavari, enjoying a beachside getaway with friends. He was taken into custody without resistance and is now in judicial remand.
More mosque thefts may come to light as old cases resurface.