HYDERABAD: Following a complaint filed by a priest of the Ujjaini Mahankali temple, Marredpally , the North Zone police apprehended E Ram Babu, on Thursday evening and produced before a court for judicial remand on Friday.
He was taken into custody and upon interrogation he confessed to have committed six thefts pertains to Marredpally , Bowenpally , Sultan Bazar, Asif Nagar and Chilkalguda of Hyderabad and Chaitanyapuri of Rachakonda commissionerate, this year. From his possession the police recovered a pulsar bike, jewellery weighing about two-tolas and silver articles weighing about 20-grams all worth Rs 1,50,000.
According to the police officials, Ram Babu a repeat offender, used to visit temples which had a less flow of devotees. “Once he went to the temple he would give a priest a 500 or 1,000 note and ask him to take an offering of 200. Once the priest would leave to get change, Babu used to decamp with the gold, silver and cash placed near the deity,” said an official.
Ram Babu, a native of Tatipaka village, Kakinada District had come to the city, 21-years ago. Police officials said that he was habituated to committing thefts of jewellery and cash from the temples. In the year 2009 he was arrested by the Kukatpally police in 11-cases of temple thefts and remanded to judicial custody .
“Again in the year 2012 he was arrested by Nampally police in four cases of temple thefts related in Saidabad, Amberpet and Nampally. He was remanded to judicial custody . In the year 2015 he was arrested by Jubilee Hills police for thieving in 21 temples,” he added.
He had stolen valuables from temples in Jubilee Hills, SR Nagar, Santosh Nagar, Malakpet, Gopalpuram, Kachiguda, Tukaramgate, Madannapet, Bowenpally , Abids, Asif Nagar, Habeeb Nagar, Hussaini Alam, Shahinayathgunj, Amberpet, Saidabad, Charminar and Osmania University , Sanath Nagar and LB Nagar of Cyberabad.
Following a manhunt, the accused was apprehended by the Marredpally police, during a vehicle check, near Jubilee Bus Stand.