Pune: Imposter Priest Steals ₹2.5 Lakh Silver Crown From Pimpri-Chinchwad Jain Temple; Police Arrest Suspect In Mumbai

Pimpri-Chinchwad: A thief disguised as a priest stole a silver crown weighing one kilogram from the idol at the Adeshwar Jain Temple near Chinchwad Railway Station. The Crime Branch Unit 1 of the Pimpri-Chinchwad Police Commissionerate (PCPC) identified the suspect through CCTV footage and arrested him in Mumbai within just two days, officials announced on Saturday.

Police said that the silver crown has been recovered. The arrested individual has been identified as Naresh Agarchand Jain (49, resident of Mumbai).

The Incident

The Adeshwar Jain Temple is located in the Chinchwad Railway Station area. The idol of Lord Shri Adeshwar Shankheshwar Parshwanath was adorned with a silver crown weighing one kilogram, valued at approximately Rs 2.5 lakh.

According to police reports, on February 21, around 11:00 AM, an unidentified individual entered the temple dressed as a priest and stole the crown. Shortly after, the temple priest and management noticed the crown was missing. Upon reviewing the CCTV footage, they discovered that the man in priestly attire had committed the theft.

The Investigation

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Dr Shivaji Pawar said, "A case of theft was registered at the Pimpri Police Station, and a parallel investigation was launched by Crime Branch Unit 1. Two specialised teams were formed, led by Assistant Police Inspector Dattatray Gulig and Sub-Inspector Karmaraj Gawade."

DCP Dr Pawar also said that the teams analysed over 200 CCTV clips from the Chinchwad area, which eventually led to the identification of the suspect. Following a lead, they tracked him down to Mumbai and arrested him within 48 hours, successfully recovering the stolen property.

Criminal Background

The accused, Naresh Jain, is a habitual offender with 12 prior cases of theft registered against him at various police stations in Mumbai and surrounding areas, including:

The successful operation was carried out by a team led by Police Inspector Thakare, along with several officers and constables from Crime Branch Unit 1.