The Chittoor police on Saturday nabbed a four-member inter-State gang allegedly involved in temple offences in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, at Tumgundram village of G.D. Nellore mandal, on the outskirts of Chittoor, and seized two panchaloha kalasams (urns atop temple towers) and a car, worth about ₹6 lakh.
Addressing a press meet here, Deputy SP (Law and Order) N. Sudhakar Reddy said the Chittoor taluk police conducting checking of vehicles on the outskirts, spotted a car bearing Tamil Nadu registration number coming towards Chittoor. Seeing the vehicle-checks, the driver allegedly tried to take a U-turn to avoid the police. But, the police foiled the bid, and took four passengers into custody, and seized two kalasams, each belonging to the local temples near Tiruttani in Tamil Nadu, and Aravachenupalle near Chittoor, from the boot of the car
The accused were identified as Battala Rajkumar (28) of Tiruttani, M. Prakash (37) of Sholingar and V. Pandian of Arakkonam in Tamil Nadu, and U. Chakravathy of Puttur in Chittoor district.
The gang had reportedly struck a deal with a Puudcherry-based youth allegedly involved in rice-pulling offences for ₹25 lakh to supply temple kalasams. These kalasams are said to be in big demand among a cross-section of traders that possessing the material inside their house would bring them affluence.
A case was registered and further investigation is on.
