Karachi police detained four men on Thursday for reportedly stealing idols, maces, and religious accouterments from a Hindu temple in the city’s Lyari district.
The suspects were local thieves, according to City Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Asif Ahmed Bhugio, who stole items from the shrine last month and sold them to junk vendors.
He claimed that approximately eight idols, Hanuman’s swords, and pooja (worship) items had been taken.
A first information report (FIR) has also been filed under the Pakistan Penal Code’s Sections 380 (stealing in a dwelling house, etc.), 457 (lurking house-trespass or house-breaking with the intent to commit a crime punishable by imprisonment), and 34 (common intention).
The SSP added that after receiving information from some informers, the police had initially detained a suspect named Farooq alias Doctor.
Farooq then directed the police to his sidekick Imtiaz Taj.
Saifudin and Zakaria Anwar, two other buyers of the stolen goods, were detained by the police, who also recovered the items from their possession. While further inquiry into the matter was ongoing, a case under section 411 (dishonestly accepting stolen goods) of the PPC was also filed against them.
