Buddha idol stolen from monastery recovered; 2 held
MUMBAI, Nov. 17 -- Within 24 hours of the theft of a Japanese-made panchdhatu (five-metal alloy) idol of Gautama Buddha from a monastery in Vikhroli East being reported, the police recovered the idol on Sunday and arrested two persons.
According to the police, the theft occurred at the Ratnabodhi Buddha Vihara in Kannamwar Nagar-2, Vikhroli (East), on Thursday after 9am. An unidentified person had stolen the idol and drinking water taps from the premises. A complaint was filed at the Vikhroli police station on Saturday, following which a case was registered under Section 305 (d) (theft in a dwelling house, or means of transportation or place of worship) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, 2023 (BNS).
Two investigating teams began by checking all CCTV footage from the monastery to the Vikhroli railway station. The police spotted a person walking suspiciously with a heavy white bag on his shoulder. They were tracking the suspect in each railway station on the Central line towards Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, and noticed him getting down at Dadar station.
The suspect then shifted to the Western line and headed towards Mahim East, said a police officer. From there, they saw him walk into a scrap dealer's shop.
The police reached the scrap dealer's shop, detained the shop owner for interrogation, and seized the panchdhatu idol that was in his possession. The dealer then revealed information about the thief, identified as Jitendra, also known as Jintu Lakshmanrao Dinkar, 48. The police nabbed Jitendra from his house in Bandra West, said the officer. The scrap dealer was also arrested under Section 317 (habitually receiving or dealing in property which he knows or has reason to believe to be stolen property) of the BNS....
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