3 Nepalis held for murder, temple theft; idols found
The police has arrested three Nepali nationals for their alleged involvement in murder of a security guard and theft of antique idols from a temple in Himachal Pradesh.
The accused have been identified as Ramesh Shahi, Dhirendra Shahi and Bharat Shahi. Two of their associates, Khagender Singh and Vikas Shahi, are still absconding, said a police officer.
“On the intervening rainy night of July 22-23, the three accused along with Khagender Singh and Vikas Shahi barged into the ancient temple of Devta Saheb Bondra in village Banchhuchh of Rohru in Shimla. They killed the 62-year-old guard Hira Lal and robbed the Ashtadhatu idols of Holy Bondra Devta, six other small idols of different gods and goddesses and two brass idols of Lord Ganesha besides other valuables and ornaments,” said a senior police official.
The local police launched a manhunt and the temple committee declared a reward of `2 lakhs on the accused.
“Our team received a tip-off about some suspicious Nepali nationals arriving in Ghaziabad from Himachal Pradesh. A police team was immediately sent to question them. But the suspects changed their location before the police team could reach the satellite city. On July 27, the police team got an input about the presence of some Nepali nationals in the Majnu-ka-Tila area. The team nabbed three suspects,” said a senior police official.
During interrogation, they revealed that they were working as labourers in Rohru where this incident occurred.
“The accused broke down during sustained interrogation and confessed their role in murder and robbery at Bondra Devta temple. They said that Khagender Singh, 40, also a Nepal national, was the mastermind of the heist and he lured them to commit theft at the temple. Khagender motivated them and put them to work at different places in and around Rohru as casual labourers for the over a month. He had assured `20 lakhs to `25 lakhs as share to each of them. He did not let them stay together in Rohru,” the official said.
Following the interrogation of the accused, the police team left for Rohru to recover the stolen articles. They recovered the idols from a forest area near Banchhuchh in Himachal Pradesh.
Two bags containing stolen idols were recovered.
“Efforts to apprehend the remaining accused Khagender and Vikas Shahi are on,” said the officer.
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