Dharmapuri lodge used by PMJ jewellery shop accused shut

Authorities in Jagtial seized Vijayalaxmi Lodge in Dharmapuri after discovering that the dacoits involved in the PMJ jewellery shop heist had stayed there. The lodge owner failed to collect proper details from the accused, leading to police action.

Jagtial: Police and Revenue authorities seized the Vijayalaxmi lodge in Dharmapuri, where the dacoits who looted the PMJ jewellery shop on Tuesday, on charges of not following the norms.

Five of the dacoits stayed in Vijayalaxmi lodge for three days from May 1 to 3. On the third day, they vacated the lodge at 6 am, five hours before committing the crime. The accused, who reached Karimnagar through rural routes to avoid CCTV cameras, returned to Dharmapuri by the same route after committing the crime.

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As one of the bikes used by the burglars was found on the banks of the Godavari river, police carried out searches in all lodges and hotels in the temple town and came to know that the accused stayed in Vijalaxmi lodge.

The movements of the accused were also recorded on a CCTV camera fixed near the lodge. In the investigation, police came to know that the lodge owner rented rooms to the accused without taking proper details or even mobile numbers. Based on the instructions from higher officials, revenue and police officials seized the lodge.