Andhra Pradesh: Interstate gang targeting temple treasures nabbed by Chittoor police

The 11 member band has visited several holy towns like Kanipakam, Mantralayam, Mahanandi, Tirupati, Kadiri

The Andhra Pradesh police has apprehended eight members of an interstate gang, including five men from Karnataka, which is targeting the Hindu temples for the rumoured hidden treasures.

The Chittoor district police have arrested the gang on Wednesday for their involvement in the desecration of a Nandi statue at the Abhaya-Anjaneya Swamy temple at Agaramangalam of Gangadhara Nellore Mandal on 26 September.

The band is found to have visited several famous holy towns like Kanipakam, Mantralayam, Mahanandi, Tirupati, Kadiri is suspected of hatching plans to break into the temples there.

The arrest comes at a time when a flurry of vandal incidents reported at various temples across the state has rattled the YSRCP government. The TDP, BJP and JanaSena are rallying over the communally sensitive matter, attempting to connect the miscreant acts as a methodical attack on Hindu temples and traditions under CM Jaganmohan Reddy’s watch.

According to Chittoor Superintendent of Police Senthil Kumar, the ancient stone idol of Nandi in front of the Lord Siva shrine in the premises had previously developed cracks which were filled with lead.

A rumour then spread around that the temple authorities placed gold, panchaloha, navaratna etc., valuables inside the Nandi figurine before sealing with the liquid metal.

On Saturday night, the offenders scaled the temple compound wall, extricated the Nandi idol, shifted behind the temple, and cracked it.

The incident following mutilation of religious idols in Krishna district, gutting of the Antarvedi temple chariot and silver figurines theft at Vijayawada Kanakadurga temple – all in September - alarmed the Chittoor police. State DGP Gautam Sawang promised to solve the case with a swift probe.

On Wednesday morning, special police teams constituted for the purpose detained eight persons found wandering suspiciously at Kanipakam, famous for the Vinayaka temple.

While the gang’s mastermind Kuruva Somasekhar (24) is from Kurnool, MS Manikanta (30) is from Tumkur, JL Naveen (35) and M Vikas (34) are from Tiptur, S Kiran Kumar (39) from Chikmagalur and Ashok Kumar (57) from Bijapur. Rest two are from Chittoor.

Topu of Bangalore, Ladda of Madanapalli and Yogi of Tiptur are still on the run.

“During interrogation, we found that the gang members toured in places like Kanipakam, Mantralayam, Mahanandi, Tirupati, Kadiri. We suspect they have conspired to break into those temples too,” Kumar told DH.

However, police assert that the gang is uninvolved, unconnected with other recent temple incidents in AP.

“The gang’s modus operandi is identifying ancient temples, and with the assistance of local bad hats verifying about the treasures believed to be hidden. They recce and finally break-in, damage the idols, or dig in the temple premises for troves,” the official said.

Main accused Somasekhar was earlier booked under various sections of the IPC, Indian Treasure Trove Act 1878, and the Explosive Substance Act 1908. The police seized a hammer, chisels, tweezer, six gas cylinders, 16 cell phones and two cars from the accused offenders.