Overview

• Karacha Sivananda and Shaik Ham Shareef were arrested at Mangalpally crossroads on July 1–2 by CCS LB Nagar and Ibrahimpatnam police following a tip-off
• Akkapalli Kranthi Kumar, a 31-year-old scrap dealer, was detained for buying stolen idols and religious paraphernalia at below-market rates
• Authorities recovered over ₹5.36 lakh in stolen items, including 25 panchaloha idols, silver statues, brass lamp stands, bells and hundi boxes
• Police say the daily-wage workers used a stolen motorcycle and reconnaissance of temples lacking CCTV to fund alcohol habits through idol thefts
• Investigations are under way to trace further artefact disposals and identify additional temples targeted across Hyderabad’s outskirts