VISAKHAPATNAM: Crime wing of Visakhapatnam police has on Monday achieved a breakthrough in the theft case at the famous Karaka Chettu Polamamba temple with the arrest of three persons. The three have been taken to Vijayawada for recovery of the stolen gold and silver ornaments, apart from cash, sources said.
In the theft, four kg silver, 35 tolas gold ornaments; in addition to cash of the temple had been stolen. Post their investigations, police had shown pictures of three persons to temple staff. The staff recalled that they had seen them during Annadanam a week before the crime. Some said they had seen the three sanitising their hands before lunch.
According to police, these three were the very people who came to Polamamba temple a few hours before the theft on March 21. They had requested for permission from the watchman to sleep on temple premises. When the watchman refused, they left on their motorcycles. The three were arrested after the temple staff identified them. Post their interrogation, they have been taken to Vijayawada to recover the ornaments and cash.
Meanwhile, CID authorities have met the Vizag police commissioner of police seeking permission to interrogate those arrested. CID sleuths want to know whether or not the same group had been involved in the decapitation of Lord Rama’s idol at Ramaswamy temple in Ramateertham of Vizianagaram district.
On the day, leaders of 14 villages around Polamamba temple had demanded that the gold and silver stolen must be recovered within a week’s time, failing which they would launch a dharna. The leaders told reporters that a major festival of Goddess Polamamba is slated for April 27. They wanted all the ornaments retrieved by then, which include the gold crown of the Goddess.
The leaders also sought a permanent executive officer and additional security at the temple to prevent thefts in future.
