Thief mistakes brass for gold, leaves silver crown behind

Gaurav Kanthwal

Mohali, September 17

A thief mistook a brass idol of Laddoo Gopal for gold and stole it from the Singha Devi temple near Nayagaon, leaving behind a silver crown and a flute worth about Rs 15,000, on Friday morning. Realising his folly, the idol thief tried to sell it off to a Panchkula-based scrap dealer for Rs 1000, but landed in the police net.

Thefts a daily affair

Tyres, batteries, motors, two-wheelers, grills or anything that is of any value are stolen in one locality or the other here daily. WhatsApp groups are full of CCTV footage of thefts but the police are least bothered. — Umesh Manchanda, Nayagaon resident

The police said a suspicious youth was seen near the sanctum sanctorum of the temple in CCTV footage.

Nayagaon SHO Kulwant Singh said, “A 21-year-old youth, Chhotu, a resident of Khudda Ali Sher, who stole the idol, has been arrested. They have stepped up vigil to curb theft incidents. We have also traced the suspects in the Kumaon Colony theft case and they will be arrested soon.”

Three days ago, five women lost their gold chains during a religious congregation at the Shiv temple in Kumaon Colony.

“A few suspicious women are seen in the CCTV footage of the event,” the police said.

Meanwhile, local residents said with incidents of thefts becoming a daily affair in Nayagaon, long queues of complainants could be seen at the police station.

“Tyres, batteries, motors, two-wheelers, grills or anything that is of any value are stolen in one locality or the other here daily. WhatsApp groups are full of CCTV footage of thefts but the police are least bothered,” said Umesh Manchanda, an advocate and local Nayagaon. Residents said drug peddlers and addicts were behind most of the incidents of theft, snatching and other crimes.