The Nilgiri police on Wednesday busted an inter-State idol and antique lifters’ racket and arrested seven persons, including three of New Delhi and one of Haryana.
The arrestees were identified as Kuanarjit Singh (52), Naresh Kumar (29), Raj Kumar (39) of New Delhi, Raj Kumar (37) of Haryana, Dipak Behera (40) of Dhenkanal district, Manmath Malik (55) of Baleswar district and Omkarnath Bramhachari alias Hanuman Baba of Kendrapara district.
Sources said that they were caught by the villagers in the foothill of the Devanagiri hill of Nilgiri on Sunday night and were thrashed by the locals assuming them as child lifters while they were moving suspiciously in the area at around 11 pm.
The police rescued them from the clutches of the mob and after interrogation it was revealed that they were caught while doing recce in the Nilgiri area to loot an antique idol, Sundura Gouri.
After stealing the idol, Sundura Gouri, from the temple, Omkanath Brahmachari was to perform a special puja before exporting to other State.
“A person from Cuttack district who resides in Delhi had masterminded the antique loot and organised the racket accordingly. He along with two other accused are at large,” said the Nilgiri police station IIC Nalita Modi.
Three other accused of the racket, however, who were residing in a hotel managed to flee, added Modi. The arrestees were sent to jail on rejection of their bail petitions.
