Inter-State Gang Busted for Temple Robberies; 4 Arrested

Punjab Police, in coordination with Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh, arrested four members of an inter-state gang robbing temples. The investigation, triggered by a theft at a Khanna temple, led to the recovery of 3.63 kg of silver. The gang planned further robberies in Tamil Nadu and Telangana.

Four members of an inter-state gang involved in robbing temples have been arrested by Punjab Police with the cooperation of police from Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh, officials reported.

The arrested individuals include Resham Singh alias Rinku from Udham Singh Nagar, Uttarakhand; Ravi Kumar and Honey from Mehndipur in Punjab’s Rupnagar; and Rajeev Kumar alias Soni from Kumarapuram in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.

Punjab Police became aware of the gang while investigating a theft at a temple in Khanna. On August 15, unidentified persons broke into the Shivpuri Temple in Khanna through window panes on the roof and stole gold and silver ornaments from an idol, even desecrating it in the process.

Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav confirmed that the four suspects were apprehended and 3.63 kg of silver was recovered from their possession. Preliminary investigations revealed that the gang was also planning similar thefts in the temples of Tamil Nadu and Telangana.

Senior Superintendent of Police Khanna, Ashwini Gotyal explained that an inter-state gang targeting temples and other religious places was identified through reliable inputs. Special teams, in coordination with police from different districts and states, managed to locate and arrest the suspects.

One more suspect, Mohit from Utawal in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, remains at large. During the investigation, it was discovered that the gang sold stolen ornaments to a jeweller named Soni, who is already facing 12 criminal cases. The stolen jewellery was recovered from him, and he was taken into custody in Lucknow.

Punjab DGP Yadav highlighted that this operation was successful due to the collaboration between the Chandigarh Police, Udham Singh Nagar Police in Uttarakhand, and Lucknow Police in Uttar Pradesh.