In a significant breakthrough, the Jaipur police have apprehended a 55-year-old man for allegedly looting silver ornaments and desecrating idols at a revered local temple. The arrest brings closure to a case that had shaken the community.
Accused Identified as Notorious Thief
The police identified the arrested individual as Ramesh Saini (55). A native of Banetha in Tonk district, Saini was currently residing as a tenant in the Madrampura area, which falls under the limits of the Muhana police station. Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Rajarshi Raj Verma confirmed the details of the arrest made on Friday.
According to Station House Officer (SHO) of Muhana, Gur Bhupendra Singh, the suspect is a known criminal with a lengthy record. Saini was reportedly involved in seven previous theft cases across Jaipur and Tonk, marking him as a notorious offender in the region.
The Temple Heist and Intensive Investigation
The crime occurred on December 30 at a temple established in 1980, one of the area's oldest places of worship. The complainant stated that unidentified miscreants had broken the Shiv idol, removed the Shiv ling, and fled with valuable silver ornaments. The stolen items included a crown, a canopy, and a necklace from the Radha Krishna idol.
To crack the case, the police launched an extensive investigation. Officers scoured footage from 500 CCTV cameras across 12 different locations to trace the culprit's movements. "We found the accused's movement around the same time as the incident," SHO Singh told TOI. A dedicated team was then formed to identify and track down the suspect, leading to his eventual arrest.
Recovery and Modus Operandi Revealed
Following the arrest, the police successfully recovered the stolen idol, the silver crown, and all other missing ornaments from Saini's possession. During interrogation, it was revealed that the accused is a drug addict. His modus operandi involved planning heists in the early morning hours to avoid surveillance and detection.
The police are now delving deeper into Saini's criminal activities. He is being probed for potential involvement in other temple theft cases reported in nearby areas over the past six months. This investigation aims to uncover if he was part of a larger pattern of targeting religious institutions.
This arrest highlights the diligent work of the Jaipur police in using technology and traditional investigative methods to protect cultural and religious heritage from criminal elements.
