A 45-year-old man has been apprehended by the police in Chhattisgarh for committing thefts in temples in and around Durg. The individual, who specifically targeted temples, confessed to stealing money from donation boxes. He would break the locks of the donation boxes and make off with the cash, leaving no trace behind.
The man revealed a shocking motive for his actions: he was seeking revenge on God. He contracted Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) while incarcerated in 2011-12 after a physical altercation. This experience led to a loss of faith in God, prompting him to target religious institutions. He stated that he chose to steal from temples to “show God his place.” During police interrogation, the accused admitted to having committed ten thefts in temples in and around Durg. The police suspect that more people might be involved in these crimes. The man would avoid touching the jewelry kept in the donation boxes. He also changed his clothes before and after each theft to avoid identification through CCTV footage, and parked his scooter away from the temple premises. The latest theft occurred on August 23-24 at a Jain temple, leading to his arrest the following day. Police launched an investigation following complaints and utilized CCTV footage and the Trinayan app to apprehend the suspect. According to the police, the accused started stealing from temples soon after his release from jail in 2012.