Yadgir, 10 Jan

Yadgir police have arrested 10 accused linked to 13 separate theft cases and property worth Rs 14.27 lakh has been recovered.

The cases include housebreakings, motorcycle theft, temple theft and livestock theft, registered in various police stations in the district.

Police have identified the accused as Mahesh Moga from Andhra Pradesh (cash theft); Prashanth and Shivakumar (house theft); Halleppa Narasappa of Hattiguduru (theft); Mahadev Hanumant of Allur, Kalaburagi (bike theft); Ashok Kashappa of Mustoor (temple theft); and Anjaneya Narasappa of Raichur (house theft).

Vadagera police also arrested Shivappa Sangappa of Bevinahalli for temple theft, while Yadgir Rural police arrested Dasharath Chinya for sheep theft.

Addressing a press conference on Friday, Superintendent of Police Prithvik Shankar said “When suspicious persons who attempted to flee were detained and questioned, they confessed to the thefts. Cash, gold ornaments and motorcycles have been recovered from the accused. Further investigation is underway,” he said.

Kashappa had broken the lock of the Bhagavanty temple in Kanak Nagar and stolen gold taalis of the goddess along with a silver lingadakai, ornaments worth Rs 1.49 lakh. Sangappa committed theft at the Dyavamma temple in Tadibidi village of Vadagera taluk, stealing the gold taali and nose ring of the deity worth Rs 95,000.

He added that Hanumant had been stealing motorcycles, including a lecturer’s bike parked in front of a house in JP Nagar under the Konanakunte police station limits while visiting Bengaluru. Five motorcycles have been recovered from Hanumant.

The SP announced that the police who cracked 13 cases and carried out the arrests would be awarded commendation certificates and cash rewards.