Daijiworld Media Network – Beltangady (SP)
Beltangady, Jul 12: Reliable sources said that the policemen of the district have succeeded in taking into custody five persons involved with theft of idols and other valuables from various places in the district. In all likelihood, these were involved with stealing idols and other items from temples and Basadis in Beltangady and other taluks.
Although there is information that the arrested men are being interrogated, the policemen have insisted that they have not made any arrests. They said only investigation into the thefts are continuing.
Dakshina Kannada district superintendent of police, Abhishek Goyal, had informed a week back that five teams have been formed under the leadership of deputy superintendent of police, Sadanand Varnekar, to investigate the cases of thefts in temples, Basadis etc, and had exuded confidence of making arrests within a week.
The thefts covered by these investigation include stealing of gold ornaments and donation boxes from Ballamanja Lord Ananteshwara Temple on May 26, theft of two gold chains, 19 idols of Teerthankaras and one idol of Goddess Padmavati from Sri Parshwanatha Basadi in Neriya Bayalu on June 15, and theft at two Basadis in Neriya within two days thereafter. Idols were also stolen from Padmaprabha Teerthankara Basadi.
The people of the district hope that the culprits will be caught soon and their centres of faith will get back what they had lost as a result of these thefts.