KAKINADA : Amalapuram police nabbed a four-member gang of robbers and recovered gold ornaments and silver articles worth Rs 7.5 lakh from it. Disclosing this to newsmen on Wednesday, Amalapuram Sub-Divisional Police Officer AVL Prasanna Kumar said Avula Neeli Madappa, Avula Venkata Ramana, Avula Mallikarjuna and Golla Bobbili of Anantapur district were arrested. The main accused Madappa was involved in as many as 70 theft cases. Venkata Ramana was an accused in more than 30 theft cases in East and West Godavari districts. The quartet also committed offences in Telangana and Karnataka.
The modus operandi of the gang was to steal gold ornaments and silver articles from unguarded temples in villages after conducting recce in the daytime in the guise of rag pickers and beggars. The gang tried to commit a robbery at the famous Ainavilli temple. But the security and surveillance cameras at the temple prevented them from committing the offence.
The recovered silver articles include ‘Makara Thoranam which weighs 4 kg and other decorations at temples. Some of the stolen articles belong to Kanaka Durga temple at Bhatnavilli and Saibaba temple at Tadepalligudem, the DSP said.He appreciated Circle Inspector Deva Kumar, Sub-Inspectors Gajendra Kumar, Prashant Kumar and Ramesh Babu for nabbing the robber gang.
Gutka worth L15 lakh seized, one arrested
Rajamahendravaram: The police seized gutka packets worth Rs 15 lakh after conducting a raid on a house at Gorakshana Peta in the city on Wednesday. According to the police, K Venkataramana who was running Bhagyalakshmi Enterprises, was selling gutka in the city after bringing the banned substance from Odisha and other States. Acting on a tip-off, a police team led by One Town CI Ravindra and SI Rajasekhar, conducted the raid. Venkataramana was arrested. A case was registered against him.