Mangaluru: Mulki police have arrested a 20-year-old man in connection with the alleged theft of a donation box at the Chandramouleshwara temple under the Mulki police station limits and recovered Rs 2,195 believed to be the stolen cash.
The theft reportedly took place during the midnight hours of August 18. According to police, the accused entered the temple through a grille on the roof, allegedly turned the CCTV camera away and broke open the lock of the donation box before taking away the cash.
The prompt investigation led to the identification and arrest of the accused, who was subsequently produced before the court.
Accused enters temple through roof
Police have identified the accused as Ravikumar alias Ravi H G, 20, son of late Gopal and a resident of Ajjimada, Kuberangadi, Sannepulikotte village, Ayyangeri post, in Madikeri taluk of Kodagu district.
According to the police, Ravikumar allegedly gained entry into the Chandramouleshwara temple by passing through a grille on the roof.
After entering the temple premises, he allegedly turned the CCTV camera away to avoid being captured on the surveillance system.
He then reportedly broke open the lock of the donation box and stole the cash kept inside.
The incident was reported to the police, following which Mulki police initiated an investigation to identify the person responsible for the theft.
Rs 2,195 recovered
As part of the investigation, Mulki police traced and arrested the accused.
Police recovered Rs 2,195 from his possession, which is believed to be the cash stolen from the temple donation box.
Following his arrest, Ravikumar was produced before the court as part of the legal proceedings.
The recovery of the suspected stolen cash is an important development in the investigation, while police are continuing to examine the circumstances surrounding the temple theft.
Police team conducts investigation
The operation was carried out by the police sub-inspector of Mulki police station along with his team.
The team worked on the available leads to identify the suspect and trace the stolen property.
The alleged manner in which the accused entered the temple and attempted to avoid the CCTV camera formed part of the investigation.
Temple premises are often equipped with surveillance systems to monitor visitors and protect valuable articles and donation collections. Police are examining the available evidence as part of the investigation into the incident.
Accused has previous cases
Police said Ravikumar had previously been booked in several cases at the Nelamangala rural police station.
The previous cases reportedly include offences registered under Sections 457 and 380 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Police also said cases involving relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Karnataka Forest Act had been registered against him.
The police are examining his previous criminal record as part of the investigation.
The arrest in the Mulki temple theft case comes after police traced the accused following the complaint and subsequent investigation.
Investigation continues
The Chandramouleshwara temple theft occurred in the early hours of August 18, with the accused allegedly targeting the donation box after gaining entry through the roof.
Mulki police have recovered Rs 2,195 believed to be the stolen amount and produced the accused before the court.
The investigation is continuing to establish all details of the incident and determine whether the accused was involved in any other similar offences in the area.
The action by the Mulki police team has resulted in an arrest shortly after the theft, while further investigation into the case is underway.