Prakasam police nabbed a 25-year-old offender and recovered ‘Panchaloha’ idols of Lord Vishnumurthy and Goddess Satyabhama and some explosive material, in all worth ₹50 lakh, at Addanki on Monday.
Prakasam Superintendent of Police Malika Garg told reporters that the offender, Sk. Karimullah, was nabbed by a police party during a routine vehicle check near the APSRTC bus stand. The offender was coming on a motorcycle from Singarayakonda. On seeing the police, he reportedly tried to flee but was nabbed.
A search of his luggage revealed the idols and explosives. The accused reportedly said that he was taking the idols to sell them to a jewellery shop in Addanki town. In the presence of mediators, police effected the recovery of the idols and some explosive material including 10 electrical detonators, five gelatin sticks, and ₹5,000 in cash from the offender who was working at a quarry in Martur.
Addanki police registered a case based on a complaint lodged by Addanki North Village Revenue Officer (VRO) D. Surendra Babu.
On questioning, the accused further stated that the idols were stolen from a temple by his friend Sanjay from Vijayawada in 2018 for safekeeping. Police are on the lookout for Sanjay.
