Sreepada Ayachit By

Express News Service

KOPPAL (KARNATAKA): The Koppal police have arrested six persons for in the Brindavana vandalizing case reported from Anegundi of Koppal district early this week.

The accused who are from Tadapatri of Ananpura district in Andhra Pradesh scaled the ‘Nava Brindavana’ island of Gangavati taluk in an attempt to steal hidden treasure.

The island in Anegundi has ‘Brindavans’ of nine saints of ‘Madhwa Pantha’ of 15th Century. ‘Brindavana’ of saint Vysaraja is one among them and it was found vandalised on July 18 morning. As the news spread, there was widespread condemnation, protests and even the issue was raised in the Parliament.

Koppal Superintendent of Police Renuka Sukumar said that the accused had thought that the shrine has a large amount of treasure and they were persuaded by temple priest Balanarasayya (42) who is also arrested. Besides Balanarasayya, the police arrested Pollari Murali Manohar Reddy (33), Manohar (27), Kummatkeshav (29) and Vijayakumar (36).

The accused used an Innova vehicle which has been seized. One of the five accused Balanarasayya is a priest at a temple in Tadaptri, while Manohar drove the vehicle. The iron tools used to dig the Brinadavana for treasure have also been recovered.

As many as five police teams were set up to nab the accused and it took them three-four days, said a police official.