Date:20/01/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/01/20/stories/2008012058200600.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Stolen panchaloha idols recovered; gang of six busted

NALGONDA: In a swift action, police on Saturday recovered three panchaloha idols stolen from a temple at Ramulabanda in Nalgonda mandal with the arrest of six youngsters. The value of the three idols—Rama, Bhoodevi and Sreedevi—was put at about Rs. 20 lakh.

Modugu Sekhar Reddy (24), a car driver of Nalgonda and Burugu Sreenu (28), an auto-rickshaw driver of Valigonda stole the idols in a midnight operation a day before Sankranti.

The other members of the gang are, Noothi Satyanarayana (21) of Pedda Kaparthy, Cheguri Shankar (25) of Tekulasomaram, Aluri Anil Kumar of Suryapet and Veeramalla Vamsi Krishna (19) of Nalgonda.

While Anil Kumar is the son of a retired Circle Inspector, Vamsi is the student of a Government College in the district headquarters.