Temple theft accused, 2 traders arrested

Varanasi: Bhelupur police arrested a thief for allegedly stealing valuables from the Hanuman temple of Swami Avimukteshwaranand’s Shri Vidya Mutt in Kedar Ghat area in April. Two jewellery traders accused of purchasing the stolen items were also arrested.

ACP (Bhelupur) Gaurav Kumar said on Saturday that multiple police teams had been pressed into service to track down Raju Khan, the prime accused in the theft of religious articles and ornaments from the Hanuman temple located in Shri Vidya Mutt. The stolen items included a silver necklace adorning the deity, a brass vessel, an ‘aachmani’ vessel and other valuables, which were allegedly taken during a burglary on the night of April 24.

Police teams from Bhelupur police station, the surveillance cell and the crime branch identified Khan through technical evidence. Following the theft, the accused had switched off his mobile phone to evade detection. The ACP said that Khan was traced near Ratnakar Park on Saturday and subsequently arrested.

During interrogation, Khan allegedly confessed to selling the stolen silver ornaments to two jewellery traders in Bhelupur area. Police arrested the two traders, identified as Dhruv Kumar Verma and Santosh Verma.

Police recovered a brass utensil, the upper portion of a broken silver mace, three silver crowns, a silver chain and a silver fragment, along with cash amounting to Rs 1,500. According to police, four theft-related cases are already registered against Khan at Bhelupur and Lanka police stations.