Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

Mumbai, Jan 7: Kandivali Police have arrested two men in connection with a burglary at a temple in Kandivali West, where cash was stolen from a donation box. Investigators revealed that the accused were also involved in a similar theft at another temple in Malad East.

The arrested individuals have been identified as Prashant Chorat (30) and Ali Raza Khan (38).

According to police, the incident took place in the early hours of December 23, between 3 am and 5 am, when the duo allegedly broke the lock of a Shankar temple located on SV Road, Kandivali. After gaining entry, they made away with approximately Rs 50,000 kept in the temple’s donation box.

An FIR was registered on December 26, following which multiple police teams were deployed to trace the culprits. Officers examined CCTV footage from nearby areas, which showed two men arriving at the temple in an autorickshaw and fleeing after the theft via the Western Express Highway towards Mira Road.

Based on the footage and further technical inputs, police tracked down the autorickshaw and arrested Ali Raza Khan, a resident of Mira Road. During interrogation, Khan disclosed the whereabouts of the main accused, Prashant Chorat, who had returned to his native place in Satara district.

A police team subsequently travelled to Satara and arrested Chorat, bringing the investigation to a successful conclusion.

The case was cracked by investigating officer Hemant Gite, under the supervision of deputy commissioner of Police Sandeep Jadhav, assistant commissioner of Police Nita Padvi, and senior inspector Karan Sonkavde.