TEAM HERALD
BICHOLIM: Alert locals foiled a bid by two burglars from Karnataka to burgle gold ornaments and other items worth about Rs 2 lakh from a temple at Harvalem-Sanquelim in the wee hours of Friday. Bicholim Police later arrested the duo in this connection.
According to reports, the incident occurred in the Rudreshwar Temple at Harvalem at about 2.30 am. As per the custom, the ‘Kalas’ of Kelbai Sateri Devasthan from Upper Harvalem is taken to Rudreshwar temple and is kept overnight, before it is taken to each and every house in the village.
On Thursday, the ‘Kalas’ was kept in the temple and at about 2.30 am, the accused Siddhu Virappa Khabadi (23) and Annappa Bhivappa Karbor (40) entered the temple after finding the temple door unlocked.
Finding the ‘Kalas’ laden with gold ornaments placed in the temple, the duo stole the gold ornaments worth about Rs 2 lakh and also took the ‘Kalas’ out of the temple.
CCTV footage in the temple revealed that one of the accused persons waited outside the temple, while the other went in and with the help of an iron rod tried to break open the ‘Garbhakud’ (inner part of the temple where idols are kept).
At that time, a local, Narayan Majik, who was asleep in the temple, was alerted by the noise and afters latched the door and raised an alarm.
Siddhu, who was trapped in the temple, tried to escape and a scuffle broke out between him and the locals who were in the temple at the time.
Hearing commotion inside the temple, the other accused, Annappa, who was waiting outside the temple, fled from the site.
Siddhu was thrashed by the mob and later handed over to the police. In the morning, police combed the area and nabbed the other accused in Sanquelim.
The duo was arrested under Sections 475, 380 IPC. PSI T P Walke conducted the panchanama and Bicholim PI Rupendra Shetgaonkar is investigating the case under the guidance of DySP Gajanan Prabhudesai.
