Jagatsinghpur, October 17 – In a major breakthrough, Jagatsinghpur police arrested three brothers and their mother for their alleged involvement in 48 temple thefts across Odisha over the past two years.
The accused have been identified as:
Sarada Acharya (38)
Barada Acharya (31)
Ananda Acharya (26)
Nirmala Acharya (58) — all residents of Chadeigaon village under Jagatsinghpur police station.
Police recovered:
Ancient idols and temple artifacts
₹64,000 in cash
A motorcycle used in the crimes
According to SP Ankit Kumar Verma, the gang was caught red-handed while trying to shift stolen goods to a buyer’s location. They were produced in court the same day, where their bail applications were rejected, and they were remanded to judicial custody.
The Acharya family was previously arrested for similar crimes but was out on bail. Police revealed they had looted temples in areas like Balikuda, Raghunathpur, Naugaon, Biridi, and Jagatsinghpur.
In a notable recent case on September 16, the gang looted the Ma Bimalei Temple in Kharipadia, escaping with gold and silver ornaments.
Police added that Nirmala Acharya played a key role by scouting temples during the day and burying stolen items underground to hide them.
Some of the stolen ornaments had already been sold outside the district, while the rest were reportedly en route to the Balakati area for disposal.
The investigation is ongoing, and further arrests of receivers and dealers may follow.
