The Vijayawada police cracked the Radha Sri Santhoshi Matha temple’s panchaloha idol theft case in Nunna within 12 hours of receiving the complaint. The accused was arrested and the 18 kg utsava vigraham (processional idol), made of five metals has been recovered.
Commissioner of Police, Vijayawada, Kanthi Rana Tata produced the accused Macharaju Durgaprasad alias Bhupathi (35) of Payakapuram before the media on Thursday here.
Mr. Rana said the temple representatives had lodged a complaint on March 30 and a case under Section 380 of IPC was registered and investigation was taken up immediately.
Based on the evidences collected by the Clues Team from the place of offence and CCTV footage available, the accused was identified and arrested on Wednesday evening and the idol was recovered from him, he said.
Mr. Rana said the accused, a construction worker, stole the 40-year-old idol during the early hours of Wednesday from the temple which is under renovation and hid it in an abandoned house close to his house in Payakapuram with a plan to sell it off later.
The Commissioner appreciated the Nunna police for solving the case in a short time.
