Temple thief nabbed in Guntur

Guntur: The Guntur Urban police arrested a person from Hyderabad who had reportedly robbed 62 temples. Police recovered Rs 12 lakh worth gold and silver ornaments from E. Rambabu alias Ram Pavan who had burgled temples in Hyderabad and Guntur.

Guntur Urban superintendent of police P. Ch. Vijaya Rao said Ram Babu was involved in 17 temple robberies in Guntur district. He said Ram Babu used to cheat the priest to steal the ornaments from the sanctum sanctorum.

Mr Vijaya Rao said that while performing pradakshinas, Ram Babu would offer money and ask the priest for a coconut. With the priest looking for coconuts, Ram Babu would steal the ornaments and make off.

Mr Vijaya Rao said Ram Babu was involved in 45 temple robberies in Hyderabad, where he was jailed and then expelled.

 He then moved to Vijayawada and started stealing from temples in that city, and Guntur. The SP said police had registered cases against Ram Babu in Nallapadu, Prathipadu, Old Guntur, Arundelpeta, Medikonduru and in Guntur Rural police station limits. The police recovered 238 grams of gold ornaments and 6.2 kg silver ornaments from Ram Babu.

Guntur West DSP K.V.G. Sarita and CCS incharge DSP D. Prasad had formed the teams with circle inspector Sk Abdul Kareem, sub-inspector Krishna Baji, ASI AD Koteswara Rao, Sk N. Shareef, K. Krishna Murthy, head constables P.S. Ramakrishna, Y. Sambasiva Rao to nab Ram Babu.