Post News Network
Puri, June 10: Baliapanda police cracked the Gopinath temple burglary case by arresting three persons including a jewellery trader and recovering 2.5 kg of silver ornaments.
The arrested were identified as Chittaranjan Dixit alias Jatia (21) of Saraswatipur in Balanga, Shankar Behera (20) of Talanuasahi and Balaram Barik (38) of Nayakpatna under Chandanpur police limits.
The miscreants had made away with the valuables from the temple March 2 this year. Temple priest Krushna Charan Das had lodged a complaint in this regard.
Jatia is stated to be the kingpin of the crime. A few weeks before the burglary incident, he took shelter at the temple and hatched a plan to loot the ornaments. Jatia took the help of Shankar and two other minors from Balighat and Pathuria Sahi to execute the crime.
The gang entered the temple in the night by breaking the asbestos and made away with six silver crowns, a silver flute and other valuables. The accused sold 1 kg of ornaments to Balaram Barik and hid the remaining booty.
Police arrested Jatia and based on the information elicited from him, the other accused were also arrested, said DSP Pravat Chandra Routray.