He is currently in custody of the police for a robbery
Representational image
Vijayawada: Notorious temple thief Prakash Sahu, who is currently in the custody of the police here for a robbery at the Sai Baba temple at Prasadampadu, is funding his wife’s law studies so that she can help him with his cases, said the police.
Sahu’s wife is pursuing a course in law at Bhilai in Madhya Pradesh and his children go to a public school in their hometown. Since 1980, Sahu has looted over 47 Hindu and Jain temples in AP, Telangana and other neighbouring states. Sixteen of the 47 temples were in Hyderabad.
Sahu had stunned the police by robbing all the jewellery, including the crown adorning Goddess Kanaka Durga’s idol in AP’s second largest temple, the Sri Durgamalleswara Swami temple, atop Indrakeeladri in 1988. He had also stolen valuables from the Arasavalli Suryanarayana Swami temple in Srikakulam and Kanyakaparameswari temple in Parvatipuram of Vizianagaram district in the same year. He was apprehended and was in jail till 2008.
Sahu has a habit of praying before an idol before looting the ornaments. As per CCTV footage, this trait, the use of gas cutters and his fingerprints, led the police to confirm that he had burgled the Sai Baba temple under Patamata limits on March 25.
The city police is having a tough time recovering the stolen property. Sources said that Sahu has confessed to robbing four temples — in Ongole, Vizianagaram, East Godavari and Vijayawada so far. Police investigation has revealed that he stole ornaments worth crores from temples in other South Indian states too.
( Source : dc )
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