Mangaluru: Puttur Rural Police have arrested a 31-year-old man from Kasaragod in connection with the alleged theft of a donation box from the Sri Mahalingeshwara Temple at Bettampady. The accused, identified as Satheesh, was arrested following an investigation that took police teams to different parts of Kasaragod district in Kerala.
Police have recovered the stolen donation box and the motorcycle allegedly used in the crime. The value of the seized motorcycle has been estimated at around Rs 1 lakh.
Donation box stolen from temple
According to the complaint filed by temple administration office-bearer Vinod Kumar B., the donation box was found missing when he visited the temple on the morning of August 25.
The temple authorities subsequently checked the CCTV footage installed on the premises. The footage reportedly showed an unidentified person taking away the donation box during the night of August 24.
The stolen donation box was valued at around Rs 2,500, while it reportedly contained approximately Rs 4,500 in offerings. Based on the complaint, Puttur Rural Police registered a case and began an investigation.
Police trace accused to Kasaragod
The police reportedly treated the case as a challenge and conducted an investigation across several locations in Kerala. Teams examined various leads in the Kinningaru, Badiyadka and Adhur areas of Kasaragod district.
The investigation eventually led police to Badiyadka, where they conducted an operation and arrested Satheesh.
Police said the accused is a resident of Kasaragod and has been identified as an inter-state theft suspect. The stolen donation box and motorcycle allegedly used during the theft were recovered during the operation.
Accused sent to judicial custody
Following his arrest, Satheesh was produced before a court. The court subsequently remanded him to judicial custody.
Police have also stated that a case relating to the theft of arecanuts is already registered against the accused at Badiyadka Police Station in Kerala.
The latest arrest is expected to help investigators examine whether the accused may have been involved in other similar theft cases in the region. However, any involvement in additional offences would have to be established through investigation.
Police team involved in operation
The operation was carried out under the direction of Puttur Sub-Division Deputy Superintendent of Police Pramod Kumar and under the guidance of Puttur Rural Police Station in-charge Inspector Thimmappa Naik.
PSIs Gunapala J. and Sushma G. Bhandari were part of the investigation team. Police personnel Ramesh, Nagaraj, Manjunath, Akash, Karthik, Sharanappa Patil, Eeranna and Hariprasad also participated in the operation.
Personnel from the Dakshina Kannada District CDR Division, Sampath and Diwakar, assisted the police team during the investigation.
CCTV footage helps investigation
The case highlights the role of CCTV surveillance in tracing suspects involved in thefts at religious places. The footage obtained from the Bettampady temple provided investigators with an important lead after the donation box was found missing.
Police subsequently followed different leads across the Karnataka-Kerala region before locating the accused in Badiyadka.
The recovery of both the donation box and the motorcycle allegedly used in the offence has also provided investigators with material evidence connected to the case.
Conclusion
Puttur Rural Police have arrested Kasaragod resident Satheesh in connection with the alleged theft of a donation box from Bettampady Sri Mahalingeshwara Temple. Police recovered the stolen donation box and a motorcycle valued at around Rs 1 lakh allegedly used in the crime.
The accused has been sent to judicial custody, while police are continuing their investigation into the case and examining his possible links to other thefts.