The Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Court, Kumbakonam, has awarded six years of simple imprisonment with fine to three persons who were found guilty of stealing four idols from a temple at Ottathur in Tiruchi district in 2003.
According to an Idol Wing CID release, the theft came to light on October 13, 2003 morning when the priest of Arulmigu Sudha Rathineswarar temple, Ottathur, Lalgudi taluk, Tiruchi district opened the temple for daily puja. Subsequently, the Siruganur police registered a case.
Meanwhile, the Samayapuram police arrested arrested four persons — Justin, Kaathan, Sasikumar, and Arokkiyam — in connection with a different case and during interrogation the accused confessed that they had stolen the four idols — Ayyanar, Chelliamman, Mariamman, and Angalamman — from the Ottathur temple.
All the four idols were recovered and two other persons — Thirugnanam and Jayaprakash — were arrested in connection with the idol theft case. Chargesheet was filed in the Judicial Magistrate Court, Lalgudi, in 2004.
Later, the case was transferred to the IW CID in 2017 and the case was transferred and taken on file at the ACJM Court at Kumbakonam in 2020. After hearing the case, the court found three persons — Justin, Sasikumar and Arokkiyam — guilty of committing the crime and sentened them to six years of simple imprisonment with fine of ₹7,000, for each, on September 30. The court acquitted the other three persons.
Published – October 01, 2026 06:41 pm IST
