PANAJI: North Goa Police cracked the Brahmadev Devasthan temple theft case within 16 hours of it being reported, arresting 38-year-old Vishal alias Vishwas Zarmekar of Nanoda, Sattari, late on Tuesday night.
In a press statement issued, Superintendent of Police (North Goa) Rahul Gupta said that Zarmekar was arrested following an intense day-long forest combing operation near the IRBn camp in Naroda after he fled into the nearby woods. He was later traced and apprehended at his residence around 11:30 pm, police said.
The case was registered after a complaint was lodged by Sagar Desai of Brahmakarmali, reporting that the donation box of Shri Brahmadev Devasthan had been broken open and an estimated Rs 30,000 to Rs 40,000 stolen. The accused had also tampered with the garbhakud (inner sanctum) of the temple.
According to SP Gupta, CCTV footage and local intelligence aided the police in identifying and apprehending the suspect. Rs 24,250 in cash was recovered from his house. Further investigation is underway to confirm the exact amount stolen and if others were involved.
The case has been registered under sections 305, 331(3), and 331(4) of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
