Woman, priest among three arrested for stealing silverware from temple, articles recovered

CHIKKABALLAPUR: Three people, including a woman, have been arrested for stealing silver ornaments from the Chowdeshwari temple at Hiriyalachenahalli in Sidlaghatta taluk to raise money for the wedding of the woman’s daughter. The arrested are the temple priest Chikkamalleshappa, Latha and Naveen Kumar.

Chikkaballapur Police According to Superintendent Kushal Chouksey, Latha, a resident of Vijayapura in Devanahalli taluk, has four daughters and a son and she was preparing to get her third daughter married to her boyfriend Naveen Kumar. However, she fell short of money and hatched a plan to steal silverware from the temple.

Accordingly, Latha offered money to the priest Chikkamalleshappa, who is a regular drinker, and the trio stole a silver face mask of the goddess, nose studs, anklets and other silver ornaments. Following the theft, a case had been registered at the Dibburahalli police station.

While Chikkamalleshappa told the police that he suspected his son Manjunath to be behind the theft, investigation revealed that he was involved along with Latha and Naveen Kumar, a resident of Keshavara village in Chikkaballapur taluk, the SP said.

The police have recovered the stolen silverware and further investigation has been taken up, the SP said.