Hyderabad, July 2 -- Two individuals accused of stealing idols, bells and other artefacts from temples, along with a scrap dealer who bought the goods, were apprehended by CCS LB Nagar and Ibrahimpatnam police on Wednesday, July 2.

The accused have been identified as Karacha Sivananda, 52, Shaik Ham Shareef, 38, and Akkapalli Kranthi Kumar, 31.

A total of 26 items worth Rs 5.36 lakh were recovered from them. The list of items included 12 idols made from panchaloha, silver and aluminium; six temple bells, three deepam stands made of brass and two steel hundis, and a Honda bike among other things.

According to the police, Sivananda and Shaik had come to Hyderabad to work as labourers. Sivananda had been living in a rented room at NGO Col...