With the arrest of four accused Garhwa police busted a thieves’ gang involved in idol lifting. Police also recovered from them two idols worth about Rs 1 crore. The arrested persons were identified as Amit Kumar Dubey, 25 a native of Garhwa town, Dilkush Raushan, 30, a resident of Danila village, a woman aged about, 25, of Hurlong village both under Palamu district and Shailendra Kumar, 40, hailing from Deheri, Bihar.

The four were caught by a special team led by Garhwa SDPO Bahman Tuti formed in the wake of recent temple break-ins in the district. On a tip off the special team arrested Amit from his house located at Garhwa town on Sunday. He confessed his involvement in the theft of precious idols of Radha-Krishna from a temple at Semaura village under Kandi police station of the district. The idols were stolen on January 04, 2020.

Amit also spilled the beans on his gang members. On the base of confessional statement of Amit special team conducted a raid at Hurlong village under Panki police station. Police recovered the precious Radha Krishna idols and a bike used in stealing the idols. Police also arrested a woman in the connection, SP Ashwani Kumar Sinha said adding "Police also arrested two other accused from their hoses.

To sell the idols accused persons approached one Shailendra Kumar, a goldsmith living in Dehri town of Bihar. Shailendra Kumar came to the village to see the idol and took some part of the idol as a sample.  He asked to sell the idol by January 13-14. One Jiyauddin Ansari is absconding.”

The gang also confessed their involvement in the theft of  asthdhatu idols of Ram-Janki and Lakshman  from the Ram Janki temple at Kharaundha village under Kandi  police station of the district. The idols were stolen May 05,2019.

The arrested were remanded in judicial custody for 15 days, the officer said.

Sources said the two idols weighing nearly 51kg were made of 'ashtadhatu'.