Pramesh S Jain
In a major breakthrough,the Tumakuru police have arrested six members of an inter-district gang allegedly involved in a series of temple burglaries across multiple districts.
The accused were initially apprehended while allegedly preparing to commit a highway robbery near Jodugatte village in Mayasandra Hobli of Turuvekere taluk.
According to police,on the night of June 19,2026,around 8.45 pm,a group of five to six persons was found waiting near a bus stop on a mud road with motorcycles, carrying chilli powder,knives and iron longs,allegedly to rob passing motorists.
Based on the seizure and subsequent investigation, Turuvekere police registered a case under Sections 310(4) and 310(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
During interrogation,the accused allegedly confessed to breaking into temples and stealing gold thalis, ornaments,silver articles and cash from donation boxes across several police station limits,including Tiptur, Chikkanayakanahalli,Koratagere,Madhugiri,Sira, Channarayapatna and Nagamangala.
Police said they have so far solved 22 temple burglary cases linked to the gang.
The cases include eight in Turuvekere,two each in Midigeshi and Tiptur Rural,and one each in Dandinashivara,Kunigal,Amruthur,Kodigenahalli, Chikkanayakanahalli,K.B.Cross,Sira,C.S.Pura,Kuduru and Bindiganavile police stations.
The investigation also revealed the gang’s involvement in a burglary at Vidyaranya High School in Benakenakere village under Turuvekere police limits.
The police recovered 25 gold thalis and other gold ornaments weighing 86 grams,three motorcycles,one autorickshaw and two gas cylinders.
The total value of the recovered property is estimated at Rs.14.19 lakh.
The arrested accused have been identified as Lion alias ATM alias Kulla (29)of Hassan district,Manjunath alias Magadi Manja (28)of Ramanagara district,Chandan (19), Madhusudhan alias Madhu (24),Babu alias Guru (22) and Narasimhamurthy alias Kariya (32).
The operation was carried out under the guidance of Tumakuru Superintendent of Police,K.V.Ashok,with the investigation led by officers of the Kunigal subdivision and Turuvekere Circle.
The Central Range DIG,S.Girish and SP KV Ashok commended the investigation team for cracking the inter-district burglary racket.
