Arunachal Police Nab Thief in Malinithan Temple Heist

Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh Police cracked a temple heist in the Lower Siang district. They arrested one man and recovered a haul of stolen ritual gear. The Malinithan Vikash Parishad Committee flagged the crime on July 5 after thieves hit the site overnight. The thieves raided the temple between July 4 and July 5.

The thieves made off with 10 brass bells, one Khalid, six copper pots, and an aluminium bucket. Likabali Police filed a case under Section 305(a)(d) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Sub-Inspector Kardo Ori led the hunt for the culprits. Inspector Abraham Taying, the Officer-in-Charge of Likabali Police Station, combined local legwork with tech tools to track the suspect.

Cops zeroed in on Toli Geyi, a resident of Upper Colony in Likabali. They cuffed him on July 13. Geyi spilled the details during questioning. He led officers to a jungle hideout near the Malinithan area to find most of the loot. He had already pawned the rest in Silapather, Assam. Officials said the recovery showed the "coordinated efforts and professionalism of the investigation team."

Malinithan stands near Likabali as a major religious and archaeological hub. The temple complex dates back to the 10th or 12th century. The theft rattled locals concerned about the security of the historic site.