Bhatkal: The two thieves who were nabbed by the Mangaluru police a week ago at Puttur are said to be involved in the robbery of a temple in Shirali Bhatkal.
According to sources, the robbery of 18 kg of gold was carried out at a temple in Puttur, investigating into which the police had nabbed two thieves. The police have said that the thieves have also accepted their involvement in the robbery of a temple in Shirali.
The arrested persons have been identified as Chandrakanth Timmappa Pujari (35) of Manki and Narsimha Raju alais Baswaraj (38) of Doddabalapur.
It should be noted that on the night of 29th April, a theft had taken place at Shri Hadi Masti Mane temple of Shirali, where the thieves had gone away with the jewelry worth rupees five and half lakhs .The thieves had gained entry by breaking the front door and had also broken the locker of the temple.
It is said that three persons were involved in this robbery, one among whom was a resident of Udupi. He is said to have died in road accident which took place at Bengaluru.
According to sources, the two thieves were involved in robberies at more than ten places including Kundapur, Shrirampur, Chitradurga, Puttur.
Sources said that these two were imprisoned at Hendlaga Jail accused of robbery, where they formed a team of robbers. As soon as they were released, they began carrying out robberies in Coastal Karnataka.
About Chandrakanth, it is said that he had gone to Mumbai from Manki before 15-20 years and had put up a canteen in Mumbai for his livelihood. The sources have also said that, when their third companion lost his life in an accident at Bengaluru, these two had sent an amount of 33,000 rupees to his widow because of her husband’s involvement with them.
The Bhatkal police on Thursday brought both thieves to Bhatkal from Puttur Jail, with the legal permission from the court. They were taken to the Shirali temple for completion of panchanama.