Mangaluru: Mangaluru city police have arrested four members of an alleged inter-district theft gang in connection with the burglary at the Aadi Killadi Kordabbu Daivasthana in Kilpady village, Mulki. Police have recovered stolen gold and silver valuables and seized vehicles allegedly used in the crime, with the total value of the recovered and confiscated property estimated at Rs 17.20 lakh.
The arrested accused have been identified as Jahid Sinan, 36, of Hejamadi in Padubidri; Yasin, 36, of Nitte in Karkala; Mohammad Afridi, 26, and S K Abdul Jumman, 26, both from Davanagere.
The arrests followed an investigation into the theft reported at the Kordabbu Daivasthana, where valuable idols and gold ornaments were stolen after the sanctum sanctorum was allegedly broken into.
Theft reported at Kordabbu Daivasthana
The incident took place during the midnight of September 1 at the Aadi Killadi Kordabbu Daivasthana in Kilpady.
According to the police, the accused allegedly broke the lock of the main door of the sanctum sanctorum and entered the shrine. They allegedly stole valuable idols of the Daiva along with gold ornaments.
Following the incident, a case was registered at the Mulki police station.
The theft of valuables from a place of worship led to the formation of a special investigation team to identify and apprehend those responsible for the crime.
Two accused arrested in Mulki
As part of the investigation, police traced two of the suspects to Karnad in Mulki.
Jahid Sinan and Yasin were arrested on September 6, according to the police.
The investigation was subsequently expanded to trace the other suspects allegedly involved in the theft. Police teams tracked Mohammad Afridi and S K Abdul Jumman to Davanagere and apprehended them there on September 7.
The accused were subsequently taken into police custody after obtaining the necessary order from the court.
Gold and silver valuables recovered
During the investigation and subsequent questioning of the accused, police recovered a substantial quantity of precious metals allegedly connected with the temple theft.
The investigating team recovered approximately 4.521 kg of silver and 34.820 grams of gold. The recovered precious metals and other valuables have been estimated to be worth approximately Rs 11.20 lakh.
Police also confiscated a bike and a car allegedly used in the commission of the crime. The vehicles have been valued at around Rs 6 lakh.
With the recovered valuables and seized vehicles taken together, the total value of the property seized in connection with the investigation stands at approximately Rs 17.20 lakh.
Two more temple thefts solved
The investigation into the Kordabbu Daivasthana theft also helped police solve two other temple theft cases, according to the police.
One of the cases relates to the Sri Mahalakshmi Mahaganapathi Temple at Kallapu, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Ullal police station.
The other case concerns the Vyaghra Chamundeshwari Temple at Inna village under the Padubidri police station limits in Udupi district.
The linking of the accused to multiple temple theft cases has led investigators to suspect their involvement in a wider pattern of offences across different districts.
The arrests have therefore helped police make progress in cases reported not only in Dakshina Kannada but also in neighbouring Udupi district.
Prime accused has 18 previous cases
Police investigations have revealed that prime accused Jahid Sinan is a habitual offender with 18 previous cases registered against him.
The cases have been registered at various police stations across Udupi, Shivamogga, Dakshina Kannada, Davanagere and Mangaluru city, according to the police.
His alleged involvement in multiple cases across different police jurisdictions has led investigators to identify the group as an inter-district gang.
The latest arrests are expected to help police ascertain whether the accused were involved in other similar thefts reported in the region.
Special team conducts investigation
The detection and arrest operation was carried out by a special police team under the guidance of Mangaluru North sub-division Assistant Commissioner of Police Srikanth K.
The team included Surathkal police inspector Pramod Kumar, Mulki police sub-inspector Raghavendra Nayak and personnel from the Mulki police station.
The team worked on tracing the accused and recovering the stolen valuables following the registration of the case.
The recovery of gold and silver, along with the seizure of the vehicles allegedly used in the crime, has provided police with important evidence as the investigation continues.
The police are also expected to investigate the wider activities of the alleged gang, particularly in view of the prime accused’s previous criminal cases and the detection of two additional temple thefts.
The arrests and recovery have brought a major breakthrough in the Kilpady temple theft case, while the linking of the accused to two other temple burglaries has helped police make progress in multiple cases across Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts.