Punjab Police Cracks Khanna Temple Theft Case in a Week: 4 Arrested with 3.6 kg Stolen Silver

Punjab Police Cracks Khanna Temple Theft Case in a Week: 4 Arrested with 3.6 kg Stolen Silver

Punjab Police, under CM Bhagwant Singh Mann’s directions, solved the Shivpuri Temple theft in Khanna within a week. Four interstate gang members were arrested, and 3.6 kg of stolen silver was recovered.

Chandigarh/Khanna, August 22: Punjab Police have swiftly solved the high-profile Shivpuri Temple theft case in Khanna, arresting four members of an interstate gang that targets religious places. The successful operation, carried out within a week, led to the recovery of 3.6 kg of stolen silver, announced Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav. The action aligns with Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann’s commitment to making Punjab a safe and secure state.

DGP Yadav revealed that the arrested individuals—Resham Singh alias Rinku from Udham Singh Nagar, Uttarakhand; Ravi Kumar and Honey from Ropar, Punjab; and jeweler Rajeev Kumar alias Soni from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh—were part of a gang planning similar heists in temples across Tamil Nadu and Telangana. He added that further arrests and recoveries are expected as the investigation progresses.

The theft occurred in the early hours of August 15 when the accused broke into Shivpuri Temple, stealing various gold and silver ornaments, including a silver garland and crowns from the idols, and desecrating the Shivling Maharaj. Acting swiftly, the Khanna Police, under SSP Ashwini Gotyal, formed special teams led by SP Investigation Saurav Jindal to crack the case. Using a combination of scientific techniques, human intelligence, and interstate cooperation, the police tracked down the suspects.

SSP Gotyal highlighted that with the assistance of Uttarakhand and Chandigarh Police, the gang’s mastermind Resham Singh was arrested in Delhi, followed by Ravi Kumar in Chandigarh, and Honey in Ropar. Further investigations led to the arrest of jeweler Rajeev Kumar, who had been buying stolen jewelry from the gang. The police also identified another accomplice, Mohit from Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, who remains at large.

During the investigation, it was discovered that the gang had been involved in numerous temple thefts across different states. Rajeev Kumar, the jeweler, has a criminal record, with 12 previous theft cases registered against him.

An FIR (No. 124) was lodged on August 15, 2024, under sections 331(4), 305, and 299 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at Khanna City Police Station. After Rajeev Kumar’s arrest, additional charges were filed under section 317(2) of the BNS.

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