Pune Police Arrests Three, Recovers Ornaments And Cash Worth Rs 2 lakh Stolen From Temples

Pune City Police have apprehended three people in connection with thefts in temples in mid-city areas as per a report in Indian Express.

The robberies had happened over the last one month in the temples in the old city areas, including Rasta Peth, Shukrawar Peth and Budhwar Peth.

The team arrested Rameez Iqbal Hakim Khan (20), Vinayak Bandu Karale (22), both residents of Kasewadi in Bhavani Peth and Anil Mindha Patel (28) of Budhwar Peth.

According to a press release by the Pune police, a team headed by senior police inspector Shrihari Bahirat of Khadak police station arrested Khan for allegedly committing theft of valuables worth Rs 1.5 lakhs and other items from the Nakoda Bhairav Jain temple in Ganesh Peth on 17 May and stealing cash of Rs 800 from the donation box of the Akra Maruti Kopra temple in Shukrawar Peth on 18 May.

Police retrieved some cash, a two-wheeler and silver ornaments worth Rs 1.85 lakhs from the arrested.

Other teams led by senior police inspector Rajendra Landge of Faraskhana police station and senior police inspector Vishnu Tamhane of Samarth police station arrested Patel and Karale.

Patel was detained for stealing Rs 900 from the Mhasoba Mitra Mandal Ganesh temple in Budhwar Peth on 5 May, while Karale was arrested for the theft of ornaments from the Shitaladevi temple in Nana Peth on 27 April.

A total of valuables worth Rs 1,93,900 have been recovered from the three arrested.