Kozhikode: The Kozhikode rural police on Wednesday arrested two men in separate temple theft cases involving stolen cash and gold.

In the first incident, Koyilandy police arrested Valiyeduthu Meethal Aneesh (42) for breaking open donation boxes (hundi) at the Veliyannur Theru Ganapathi Temple in Nambrathukara near Koyilandy. According to police, Aneesh broke five hundis in the temple and stole offerings collected since the Navaratri festival. The theft took place in the early hours of Wednesday.
A native of Nambrathukara, Aneesh is reportedly a habitual offender with a history of similar crimes. The police estimated that he stole around ₹20,000 from the hundis.

In another case, Kunnath Ijlal (33) of Kuppadithara in Padinharathara, Wayanad, was arrested by the Koduvally police in connection with a theft at the Theyyathinkavu Bhagavathi Temple in Vavad, on October 4. Ijlal allegedly broke open the temple office door and stole 10 grams of gold and ₹20,000 from a shelf. He also disposed of the temple’s CCTV DVR by throwing it into a well in a nearby house.

The Meenangadi police had earlier detained Ijlal on October 5 after he confessed to the temple theft during questioning. He was then handed over to the Koduvally police. On Wednesday, the accused was taken to the temple for evidence collection, during which officers recovered the DVR from the well.

Police said Ijlal used a pickaxe taken from a nearby under-construction house to break the temple door. He has been remanded in judicial custody by the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court-I, Thamarassery.