Three people, including a couple, have been arrested for theft of about forty temple lamps from Sridurga Bhadradevi Yogeeshwara temple at Kalari Athiparampil in Ambipoika in Kollam district. Prasad (Salim-46), a native of Kannur, his wife Haseena (43) of Chirayinkeeezhu Perumathura in Thiruvananthapuram district, and Mazhar (52) of Kollam Corporation were caught by the Kundera police.

Prasad adopted the name Salim after marriage. The accused were identified based on CCTV visuals and other scientific tests. The couple lived in a rented house in Kundara Ambipoika for a month. In other districts, they rent homes in isolated places and commit robberies nearby.

Being a couple, the neighbors did not feel suspicious. Their daughter lives with her family near the rented house they currently live in under Kundara Police Station. They were suspected of committing thefts in the surrounding areas when they stayed at their daughter’s home earlier.

Both have served jail terms as accused in two theft cases under Thrissur Chavakkad police station limits. When the two were interrogated, it was revealed that Mazhar (52), who runs a scrap business near the Kollam Koonambaikulam temple in Kollam Corporation, had been regularly buying stolen goods from them. The stolen temple lamps were recovered from Mazhar’s scrap yard.

Mazhar was arrested as the third accused for receiving looted items. They break into small temples without security guards and steal lamps and other utensils for daily poojas. On the instructions of Shasthamkotta DYSP Sheriff, Kundera Station House Officer Ratheesh located and arrested the temple thieves within 24 hours.