Pilgrimage Centres in Karimnagar Turn Shelters for Criminal Suspects
Unregistered lodges are also reported to be operating in these areas, with rooms rented at higher rates
Karimnagar: Pilgrimage centres in the erstwhile Karimnagar district are emerging as shelters for criminal suspects, with recent incidents pointing to a pattern.
In the PMJ jewellery robbery case on May 3, burglars stayed in a private lodge at Dharmapuri for two days before the offence. They vacated on the day of the robbery and travelled to Karimnagar town on motorcycles through interior routes to avoid CCTV cameras.
In another case, special police teams from Hyderabad reportedly arrested a theft accused from a lodge at Kondagattu on June 24 and seized Rs 10 lakh. The accused, along with two others, had allegedly stolen Rs 17 lakh meant for deposit in an ATM in Hyderabad. The driver of the cash-in-transit vehicle is said to have planned the theft.
Earlier, a suspect in a rape case reported from Raikal mandal was traced to a lodge in Kondagattu, from where police took him into custody.
These incidents have raised concerns over the use of private lodges in pilgrimage centres by persons involved in criminal activities.
Lodge operators collect Aadhaar and other identity documents from visitors, but verification remains limited. In the PMJ case, the accused were found to have used fake Aadhaar cards.
Unregistered lodges are also reported to be operating in these areas, with rooms rented at higher rates. Such facilities are alleged to be used by suspects to stay for extended periods without effective scrutiny.