Google search, reconnaissance and temple heist: How Gujarat Police cracked temple theft case
Ahmedabad, July 29 (IANS) The Ahmedabad Rural Police have arrested five persons for allegedly stealing silver ornaments from the famous Umiya Mata Temple on Sanand Bypass Road and recovered property worth Rs 8.5 lakh, including a silver bar, a vehicle and mobile phones, after solving the case within days of its registration.
The theft took place between 2 a.m. and 2:30 a.m. on July 17, when unidentified persons allegedly broke the lock of the main door of the temple’s sanctum sanctorum and entered the premises, officials said on Tuesday.
The accused allegedly stole a silver canopy of the deity weighing around 2.5 to 3 kg, valued at around Rs 2.5 lakh, a silver idol weighing around 500 grams worth Rs 50,000, and other imitation items, taking the total value of the stolen property to around Rs three lakh.
Sanand Police launched an investigation into the case registered under Sections 305(D) and 331(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
Police Inspector B.T. Gohil formed separate teams of surveillance personnel and directed them to use technical and human intelligence to trace the accused.
During the investigation, police kept surveillance on persons previously involved in theft cases and monitored their activities.
Based on information gathered through technical analysis and human sources, police identified the suspects and found their connection with the temple theft.
During questioning, the accused allegedly confessed to committing the crime.
Police found that the stolen silver ornaments had been taken to Chittorgarh in Rajasthan and sold there, where they were melted.
Investigators recovered a silver bar weighing around two kg, valued at Rs three lakh, along with a pickup vehicle used in the crime, valued at Rs five lakh, and five mobile phones worth Rs 50,000.
The five accused have been identified as Laxman Gurjar, 18, and Kishan alias Kano Gurjar, 24, both residents of Reh village in Bhilwara district of Rajasthan; Mukesh Nath alias Rajesh Nath Shivnath, 27, and Suresh Nath alias Surjan Nath Sukanath, 22, both members of the Kalbeliya (Jogi) community and currently residing in temporary huts near Manipur village in Sanand; and Ajay Nath Soganath, 19, originally from Nathdwara in Rajasthan and also residing in Sanand.
Police said accused Laxman and Kishan, who are brothers, used the pickup vehicle for transporting goods between Gujarat and Rajasthan.
During their visits to Ahmedabad city and district, they allegedly stayed in their vehicle for two to three days, surveyed different locations and carried out thefts before returning to Rajasthan.
According to the police, Laxman searched for the temple on Google, viewed photographs of the premises and later conducted a physical survey of the location.
He allegedly checked entry and exit routes, mapped the route to the temple through Google Maps, recorded a screen video and shared it with the other accused before carrying out the theft.
Police said Kishan had earlier been arrested in theft cases and was familiar with police procedures.
During the alleged crime, he avoided using a mobile phone and kept the vehicle around five kilometres away from the temple before the theft.
The investigation also revealed that the other accused, who are residents of different districts of Rajasthan, were living in temporary settlements in Ahmedabad city and district and working as daily wage labourers collecting plastic and scrap materials.
Police said they used these activities to identify locations for theft.
Police have also found previous criminal cases against Kishan alias Kano Gurjar, including a case registered at Sanand Police Station under Sections 303(2) and 54 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and another case registered at Sabarmati Police Station under Section 303(2) of the same law.
Sanand Police have arrested the accused in connection with the temple theft case and further investigation is underway.
–IANS
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