Man held for stealing kalasams from Viruthagireeswarar temple in Vriddhachalam

49-year-old Santhosh Kumar was nabbed during a vehicle check

A special team of the Cuddalore police on Saturday arrested a 49-year-old man on charges of stealing three gold-plated kalasams atop the vimanam of Sri Virudhagireeswarar temple in Vriddhachalam .

The accused, identified as P. Santhosh Kumar of Periyar Nagar, was nabbed by the police during a vehicle check.

The kalasams atop the vimanam of Sri Viruthambigai Amman in the temple were found missing on March 1. A special police team, led by Additional Superintendent of Police Ankit Jain, was constituted to nab the offender. A perusal of CCTV footage in the temple’s vicinity showed a man carrying a gunny sack on his motorbike leaving the area.

The police team was conducting vehicle checks at Periyar Nagar when they intercepted one person riding a bike. Preliminary investigation revealed that Santhosh Kumar was involved in the theft. He was arrested and the kalasams were seized.

Police said Santhosh Kumar, who previously worked as a compounder in a private hospital, was unemployed. He stole the Kalasams from the temple and planned to sell them to settle his debts. He was produced before a local court and remanded in custody.