Theft at Kerala's Padmanabhaswamy temple; 3 including Australian physician arrested from Haryana
Despite stringent security at the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram, a ceremonial bronze uruli (vessel) used for offerings to the Lord was stolen last week. Kerala Police have identified the main accused as an Australian citizen, part of a three-member group that included two women and arrested from Haryana.
FollowThiruvananthapuram: Despite tight security, a theft occurred at the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple last week. Thieves stole a traditional bronze uruli (vessel) used in the temple. However, Kerala Police managed to track down and arrest the suspects in Haryana. Four individuals, including three women, all from Haryana, were arrested. The group carried out the robbery on Thursday after gaining entry to the temple.
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The Kerala Police have revealed that an Australian citizen is the main accused in the theft of a ceremonial bronze vessel (uruli) from the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple. The crime was committed by a three-member group, which included two women, who managed to enter the highly secured temple and steal the uruli used for rituals. Based on CCTV footage, a team led by the Fort Circle Inspector conducted an investigation, eventually apprehending the suspects in Haryana.
With the help of Gurgaon Police in Haryana, the Kerala Police arrested the group from a five-star hotel. The main accused is an Australian citizen and a doctor, accompanied by two women. Despite the temple being a high-security zone, with over 200 police officers, including an SP, DYSP, and four Circle Inspectors, the group managed to carry out the theft.
The thieves outsmarted all security measures, including metal detectors, and managed to sneak the uruli out of the temple. The three-member group’s theft was caught on video, which the police received on Thursday itself. Based on CCTV footage, a thorough investigation was conducted, leading to the arrest of the culprits in Haryana. The suspects are expected to be brought to Thiruvananthapuram by this afternoon. The theft from such a highly secured zone has caused significant embarrassment and shock for the police, and disciplinary action is likely to be taken against the officers responsible for the security lapse.
Ganesh Jha, one of the arrested suspects, has told the police that the bronze vessel (uruli) was not stolen, but was actually handed over to him by a temple staff member. Jha claimed that no one stopped him when he took the ritual vessel outside the temple. He also mentioned that he would have returned the item if someone had contacted him. Jha later handed over the vessel to the police from the hotel where he was staying.
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