Temple burglars held in Hyderabad, property worth Rs 5.36 lakh seized

Two persons staying in Vanasthalipuram were arrested for stealing idols and ornaments from temples in the Rachakonda area. Police recovered property worth Rs 5.36 lakh. The duo targeted five temples and sold the stolen items to a known receiver

Hyderabad: Two persons who were stealing idols and ornaments of deities from temples in Rachakonda were arrested by the police on Wednesday. The police seized property worth Rs 5.36 lakh from them.

The arrested persons, K Sivananda (52), a native of Kurnool, and Shaik Ham Shareef (38), a native of Prakasam district in Andhra Pradesh, were staying in Vanasthalipuram.

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According to G Sudheer Babu, Commissioner of Police, Rachakonda, the two men moved around the city outskirts and targeted temples to fund their lavish lifestyle.

“Sivananda and Shareef targeted five temples in Yacharam and Ibrahimpatnam police station limits. After stealing idols, gold and silver articles, and other property from the temples, they sold it to a person named A Kranthi Kumar,” said G Sudheer Babu.

Following a spate of temple theft cases in the last one month, the police formed special teams and finally nabbed Sivananda and Shareef. During interrogation, the duo admitted to the crime. Both were produced before the court and remanded.