Bhiwandi, June 23: In a significant breakthrough, the Bhiwandi Police have arrested a 23-year-old man from the India-Nepal border region for allegedly stealing gold and silver ornaments worth nearly Rs 3.75 lakh from a Hanuman temple in Bhiwandi.
The accused was tracked through an extensive CCTV trail, technical surveillance and an interstate operation spanning Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh before being apprehended with the assistance of the STF.
According to the Narpoli Police, the theft took place last month at a roadside Hanuman temple located between Dhamankar Naka and Anjurphata in the Narpoli area.
An unidentified intruder allegedly entered the shrine and decamped with valuables, including a gold canopy (chhatra) valued at around Rs 3 lakh and silver ornaments worth Rs 74,000, comprising two crowns, four ceremonial umbrellas and other religious items.
Police Trace Accused Across States
Following the registration of an FIR, Senior Police Inspector Vijay Kadbane directed an investigation led by Police Sub-Inspector Akash Pawar and his team.
Despite having no initial clues about the suspect's identity, investigators meticulously analysed CCTV footage from the vicinity and identified a suspicious individual.
The probe revealed that the suspect travelled from Bhiwandi to Kalyan Railway Station before boarding the Kashi Express bound for Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh.
Police examined footage from 18 CCTV cameras installed across Bhiwandi and Kalyan railway stations. Technical surveillance further helped investigators trace a mobile number linked to the suspect.
The accused was identified as Ajay Ramavatar Pasi (23), a resident of Kushwaha Gaon, Nepal. Subsequent location tracking indicated that he had moved to Siddharthnagar district in Uttar Pradesh. A police team rushed to the region and launched a coordinated search operation with the assistance of the local police.
Nine-Day Hunt Ends In Arrest
Investigators said the accused managed to evade arrest for nearly nine days by adopting a calculated strategy—keeping his mobile phone switched on during the day and turning it off at night. The dense forested terrain and thick vegetation in the border region further complicated the search operation.
The breakthrough came after police received specific intelligence that the suspect would arrive near Parsa Railway Station Road in Siddharthnagar. Acting swiftly, the Narpoli Police, with support from the Shohratgarh STF, laid a trap and successfully apprehended him.
During interrogation, the accused allegedly confessed to committing the temple theft. Police recovered 350 grams of silver ornaments worth approximately Rs 26,250 from his possession. Efforts are underway to recover the remaining stolen property, including the gold ornaments.
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Further Investigation Underway
The accused has been taken into custody and further investigation is in progress to ascertain whether he was involved in similar offences elsewhere, police said.
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