All are from Andhra Pradesh; one among them is a policeman

The Chintamani Rural police in Chikkaballapur district succeeded in solving a major case involving theft of panchaloha idols from a temple, by arresting seven accused in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh, on Wednesday.

The police gave their names as Pathan Allabaksh (20), Mohammad Farooq (21), Pathan Iliyazkhan (20), Amjad Khadar (27), Syed Rasheed (23), Midathur Shaikh Shavali (40), and Paniband Gouse Moideen (48), all from different places in Anantapur district.

A Chintamani Rural police team, under the guidance of Superintendent of Police Divya, in association with Anantapura Town Police nabbed the accused while they were trying to sell the idols at Tadakaleru on Wednesday, Deputy Superintendent of Police Sannathimmayya told The Hindu on Thursday.

The panchaloha idols of Rama, Lakshmana, Seetha, Anjaneyaswamy, Ahobala Narasimhaswamy, Sridevi and Bhoodevi from the Anjaneyaswamy temple at Billandahalli in Chintamani taluk were stolen by them on the night of April 22 this year. The total cost of the idols was around Rs. 15 lakh, Mr. Sannathimmayya said.

According to Rural Circle Inspector of Police J.N. Anandakumar, who led the operation, one among the seven arrested, Shaikh Shavali, is a head constable with the Anantapur district police intelligence. He reportedly kept the stolen idols with himself for selling.