In a significant breakthrough, the Anakapalle district police have arrested two individuals in connection with the theft of valuables and offerings from two donation boxes (hundis) at the historic Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple in Upamaka, located under Nakkapalle mandal in the district. The police recovered over Rs 2.3 lakh in cash, 56 grams of gold ornaments, and 2.6 kilograms of silver ornaments, with a total value exceeding Rs 17.68 lakh.
Details of the Arrest
The arrested suspects have been identified as Kasireddy Srihari (22) and Gantyada Chinna (23), both welders by profession and residents of Nakkapalle mandal. According to Anakapalle district police chief Tuhin Sinha, the two accused covered their faces with masks before entering the temple. They used cutters to break open the hundi at Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple and similarly targeted another donation box at a nearby temple in the early hours of June 3. The thieves stole around Rs 1.2 lakh in valuables from the two hundis.
Police Investigation and Recovery
Following the incident, the police formed three special teams to identify the accused in the temple theft cases. Based on concrete clues, the teams apprehended the duo and recovered the stolen property from some of the cases. The police chief has urged temple authorities to install CCTV cameras and appoint security guards to prevent future thefts. Additionally, he instructed police personnel to increase night patrolling at all major temples in the district.
The swift action by the police has brought relief to the local community, who consider the temple a sacred site. The recovered items include cash and ornaments that were meant for the temple's upkeep and charitable activities. The accused are currently in custody and further investigations are underway to determine if they were involved in similar crimes in other temples.
