5 panchaloha idols seized; 13-member gang held in Guntur

Guntur: City Rural Police have arrested a 13-member temples robbery gang and seized five panchaloha idols and police which are valued  at Rs 1.86 crore .Value of idols in the international market is  more than Rs.3 crore.

Guntur rural police district additional S P (Crime) M Venkateswar Rao said that on a tip off, police arrested the key accused Aradyula Shiva Nagaraju at Kuchipudi Locks in Amarthaluru mandal of Guntur district and seized the idols of Rama, Sita, Lakshman, Hanuman and other idols of Hindu gods.  

During the questioning the accused confessed before police that to earn easy money, he formed a gang and committed robberies at various temples and has been trying to sell the idols. 

The seized idols are   worth more than Rs.3 crore in the international market. The police also seized two cars and mobile phones from the gang which involved in several temple robberies in the district.