After stealing a diamond-studded idol worth Rs 7 lakh from Surat, their luck ran out on Sunday after they were arrested by Surat Police from their village in Udala of Mayurbhanj district.
The accused have been identified as Chandan Mallick and a minor boy from Siripur village in Udala area of Mayurbhanj district. The black-granite idol, which was stolen by the accused, was studded with a diamond, and its value is pegged at over Rs 7 lakh.
According to the police, a temple’s construction was underway at Piplod in Surat where the two accused were working. On August 28, they stole the two-and-half-inch-high idol and stealthily left the place. Their entire act carried out within 30 minutes, was captured in the CCTV cameras.
After the incident surfaced, the temple authorities immediately lodged a complaint with the police. When the footage captured in the CCTV cameras was examined, the police zeroed in on the two accused.
Collecting their addresses from the contractor who engaged them in work, a team of the Surat Police came to Siripur village in Udala area, and with the help of the local police, they arrested the duo and recovered the idol from their possession. The police produced them in a local court, sent the minor to remand home, and returned to Surat with the second accused. The police investigation revealed that the duo has no criminal antecedents.