Police in Chhattisgarh have apprehended a man in connection with a string of temple thefts in the Durg area. The 45-year-old suspect focused on stealing from donation boxes, breaking them open to take the money. He ensured he left no evidence behind.
The arrested individual revealed a unique reason for the temple thefts: revenge against God. He disclosed that he contracted Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) while imprisoned for an assault in 2011-12, and that experience led him to lose his faith.
The man stated that his intention was to ‘show God his place.’ He confessed to ten thefts at temples in and around Durg. Police are investigating if there were other accomplices. The suspect would change clothes before and after the thefts to avoid identification. His scooter was always parked far away from the temple premises. He was arrested the day after the most recent theft, which took place at a Jain temple on August 23-24. Police used CCTV footage and the Trinetra app to help make the arrest. The suspect began his temple thefts shortly after being released from jail in 2012.