ONGOLE: Four persons were arrested for stealing ancient idols from temples. Five such idols worth Rs 45 lakh were seized from their possession on Sunday. The idols included two 12th century ancestral idols of Goddess Annapurna Devi and God Veerabhadra Swamy made of panchaloha and three others-Lord Murali Krishna’s idol, a chariot and a conch.
According to Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) A Prasad Kumar, the accused were apprehended at Sanghamitra Hospital junction when they came in a Ford car to sell the ancient panchaloha idols.
Producing the recovered items in front of the media at the Galaxy meeting hall in the District Police Headquarters, the DSP said two 12th century idols were stolen from Kasi Visweswara Swamy temple at Thammavaram village of Korisapadu mandal.
A case was registered in this regard on November 22, 2019 at Korisapadu PS under Section 380 of the IPC, based on a complaint filed by temple priest T Chalapathi. The four accused were identified as Tammavarapu Mallikarjuna Rao (45), S Rajesh (28), Mohammed Hidayatullah (45) and K Prasada Rao (40).
Mallikarjuna Rao is a priest in a Siva temple in Thammavaram. Rajesh is a staffer in the DEO office in Ongole. Hidayatullah and Prasada Rao hail from Krishna district. The gang attempted to loot treasure and idols from ancient temples located in deserted places in the region.
“Chola kings constructed many Siva temples in between 11 and 14 century in Bapatla, Kottapatnam, Ongole and Yerajarla areas. Thurpu Chalukya kings constructed a Siva temple on the hillock of Anamaluru village. Due to its isolated location, the accused attempted to dig out the treasure from the spot several times,” Prasad Kumar explained.
He further added, "Some 60 years back, three idols made of panchaloha at the Anamaluru temple were shifted to Kasi Visweswara Swamy temple in Thammavaram village for better protection. The gang stole the idols from the Thammavaram temple last November."
Two of the recovered idols were identified to match the description of idols stated in the Crime No: 72/2019 registered at Korisapadu PS. The police are trying to ascertain the whereabouts of the other three idols. District Superintendent of Police Siddharth Kaushal appreciated the CCS police for nabbing the idol-lifter gang.