Surat: The Khatodara police have arrested two thieves responsible for targeting temples across the city. The suspects were caught stealing from temple donation boxes, leading to the resolution of three separate temple theft cases in different police jurisdictions. A total of Rs 1.80 lakh in valuables was seized from the culprits.
The suspects had a history of targeting temples exclusively, disregarding the faith and trust placed by devotees in the sacred locations. They stole money from various temple donation boxes in Surat, leading to increased concern among the religious community.
Acting on a tip-off, Khatodara police arrested Vijay alias Bobdo Ambalal Wadi and Kishan Jayanti Wadi from Lunawada, and recovered Rs 1.80 lakh in cash from the duo. Upon interrogation, the suspects admitted to stealing from the Khodiyar Mata Temple in the Khatodara area, Somolai Hanuman Temple in the Salabatpura police station area, and Jagannath Mahadev Temple. These confessions led to the resolution of two cases in the Salabatpura police station jurisdiction and one in the Khatodara area.
ACP Z.R. Desai shared that the theft at the Khodiyar Mata Temple in the Khatodara police station area had occurred about a month ago, leading to an investigation. After identifying the suspects as residents of Lunawada, the police arrested the pair, who subsequently confessed to the other thefts. The accused had been using a tempo to travel from Vadodara to the targeted temples and had stolen a total of Rs 1.80 lakh, including the value of the tempo.
