Palghar crime: Two held for stealing sacred metal objects from temple

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An official on Friday said that two persons have been arrested for allegedly stealing sacred metal objects from a temple in Maharashtra's Palghar district, reported news agency PTI.

The accused, identified as 65-year-old Rangilal Banarsi Chavan and Rohit Sunil Mura (20), broke into the Panchamukhi Shivmandir at Vevoor on the intervening night of October 16-17, the police said while sharing an update on the Palghar crime, reported PTI.

The duo took away a copper lamp, a trident, bells and other items of religious importance worth Rs 30,000 from the temple, Palghar Superintendent of Police Balasaheb Patil said while sharing an update on the Palghar crime, reported PTI.

Police have recovered all the stolen objects from the two, he added.

Murder accused from Maharashtra on the run for 16 years held in UP

A man, who was wanted in a murder case in Maharashtra, has been arrested from Uttar Pradesh nearly 16 years after the crime, police said on Wednesday, reported PTI.

The accused, Vinodkumar Bhudiram Singh alias Zhuri, was arrested from Bhadohi in Uttar Pradesh on Monday, by the Central Crime Unit of the Mira-Bhayandar-Vasai-Virar (MBVV) police commissionerate, reported PTI.

Confirming the development, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Crime) Madan Ballal said on Wednesday that the murder had taken place on January 19, 2009, when the 26-year-old Pravin Prabhakar Dhule was attacked by a group in a village in Nalasopara, reported PTI.

Two of the accused - Sikandar Imran Sheikh and Anil Durvi Singh - fired at Dhule at point-blank range that led to his death, reported PTI.

A case was registered under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections, including 302 (murder), 144 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting) and and 120B (criminal conspiracy), as well as under the Arms Act and provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against him, the police official said.

"Following the incident, the police had arrested 12 persons by 2011, and a chargesheet was filed. But Vinodkumar managed to remain elusive since the day of the murder," he said.

Recently, the police received information that he was hiding in Uttar Pradesh. Taking immediate steps, the crime branch team apprehended Singh at his residence a few days ago, senior police inspector Rahul Rakha of the Central Crime Branch said, reported PTI.

"Following his arrest, the police secured a transit remand from a local court for Vinodkumar's transfer to Nalasopara for further investigation," he said.

(With inputs from PTI)