Kutch police nabs gang responsible for robbing 34 temples in Gujarat
Updated: Nov 19th, 2024
A notorious gang of temple thieves, led by the criminal Megharam from Sirohi, Rajasthan, had been active for over a year, targeting temples in the Kutch and Banaskantha districts.
The gang, made up of carving artisans skilled in temple carving, had stolen valuable artefacts from 34 temples across the region. These artisans, originally from Rajasthan, are known for their expertise in Jain temple carving.
Megharam organised the gang, specifically targeting skilled artisans involved in carving work at temples. Over a year, the gang conducted multiple thefts across Kutch and Banaskantha, with their modus operandi being the use of three motorcycles to travel 300 km from Sirohi to Rapar in Kutch to carry out the robberies.
The gang’s most notable crime occurred on the night of November 6, when they targeted 11 temples and shrines in Rapar taluka’s Chitrod and nearby Jethasari Vandh.
In response, a special investigation team (SIT) was formed under Bhachau DySP Sagar Sambada to track down the gang.
Just six days after the Rapar theft, the gang struck again, this time breaking into eight temples in Kanmer on the night of November 11, stealing cash and goods worth over ₹1.6 lakh. While stealing from the temple, the gang even assaulted the priest of a Jain temple when he was performing Seva Puja.
Following extensive investigation by the SIT, the gang was identified as the Garasia gang, a notorious group from Rajasthan. Some of the gang members worked as stone carvers by day and thieves by night, using their knowledge of temple structures to plan and execute robberies. The gang had also targeted temples in the Wagad region.
After the identification of the gang, the police managed to arrest several key members of the gang. Those arrested included Megharam, the mastermind, and Suresh, a goldsmith from Ahmedabad, who was found to be involved in selling the stolen jewellery. The police seized jewellery worth ₹3.94 lakh during the operation.
In addition to Megharam and Suresh, Among those arrested were Kamlesh Anaram Garasia, Ramesh Baburam Garasia, Suresh Shankar (aka Daku Garasia), Jairam (aka Jenia Nonaram Garcia), and Suresh Shantilal Soni. Soni, a resident of Ahmedabad, was found to be buying the stolen jewellery. Two other accused members, however, are still absconding.
Despite these arrests, two members of the gang are still absconding.
With the help of confessions from the arrested gang members, the police successfully solved eight temple thefts across Banaskantha and Kutch. The gang had targeted temples in Bhabhar, Thara, Radhanpur, Deodar, and Deesa in Banaskantha, and in Rapar and Wagad in Kutch.
Superintendent of Police of East Kutch confirmed that the police had made progress in solving the cases and had managed to recover most of the stolen goods.
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