Police crack Hyderabad temple burglary cases

Following the arrest of two persons, the city police today claimed to have cracked a series of temple burglary cases that took place over a period of past two months here.

A number of burglaries had taken place at the temples in various parts of the city leading to tension in the communally-sensitive localities in the old city.

Special police teams had been formed to detect the temple theft cases, who finally zeroed in on two persons, who were allegedly involved in the thefts. The cases had posed a challenge before police, city Police Commissioner Anurag Shamra told reporters here today. About two kg of silver ornaments and utensils and some gold ornaments have been recovered from the arrested, he said.

While Mohammad Hussain Ali alias Ghouse was taken into custody yesterday, his friend Shaik Hyder alias Mahboob was arrested today, the Commissioner said. The arrested have confessed to have committed 18 burglaries at temples, including Mahankali temple at Lal Darwaza and Uppuguda, Hanuman temple and Durga Maisamma temple at Golnaka, Sharma said.

The duo used to carry out reconnaissance of the areas pretending as rag pickers before committing thefts in the temples during night time, he said. To a query, the police commissioner said that all the security arrangement has been made for tomorrow's 'Moharrum procession' and that the situation in old city was peaceful.