Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Oct 7: Bhatkal police, after detailed investigation, found that three persons had burgled Hadi Masti alias Jatamasti temple at Shirali near Bhatkal and taken away cash and silver ornaments worth lacs of rupees. Out of them, one had lost his life in an accident. Two others, who were lodged in the district prison here relating to thefts in the district, were taken into custody by Bhatkal police on Thursday, October 6 for investigation.

The arrested persons are Chandrakanth Poojary from Manki in Uttara Kannada district, currently living in Mumbai, and Narasimharaju from Bengaluru. The duo, in association with Prakash Bahaddur Singh from Mepal had broken open the lock of Hadi Masti temple that was renovated, on April 29 this year. They had taken away silver ornaments and cash. As per the complaint filed by the temple authorities in Bhatkal rural station, silverware worth Rs 5.33 lac and cash amounting to Rs 10,000 had been stolen by them.

Chandrakanth and Narasimharaju face several thefts and other cases in Kundapur, city, Puttur, Chitradurga etc. They usually target newly built houses or residences where the elderly citizens live. They had been arrested by the city crime branch police in connection with a theft at Puttur and were undergoing jail sentences.

The Bhatkal police, on comparison, found that fingerprints found at Shirali temple matched with those of the duo. On questioning, they confessed to their participating in the theft. The arrested persons also said that Bahaddur died on the spot in a road accident at Bengaluru recently.