Thrissur: A 46-year-old man was arrested on Saturday in connection with the theft of a Panchaloha idol from a temple in Kunnamkulam. The idol was stolen from Thekkeppuram Makalikavu Bhadrakali Temple on September 11.

The arrested suspect has been identified as Manaf, 46, son of Muhammadali, alias ‘Marappatti Manaf’, a native of Mallad in Chavakkad. The Thrissur City Police arrested him from Chendamangalam in Ernakulam on Saturday morning.

Police said the investigation, which involved examining CCTV footage and fingerprint evidence, led to Manaf’s arrest. He reportedly earned the nickname ‘Marappatti Manaf’ because of his alleged modus operandi of climbing onto house roofs like civets, hiding there and carrying out thefts.

On the morning of September 11, the temple’s Keezhsanthi, who arrived to open the temple, found the door of the sanctum sanctorum partially open. An inspection revealed that the 65-year-old Panchaloha idol of Bhadrakali was missing. A silver conch kept inside the temple was also stolen. The CCTV camera inside the temple had been covered with a cloth.

A police team led by the Kunnamkulam ACP conducted the investigation in two teams. A breakthrough came after fingerprints linked to Manaf were obtained during the investigation into the theft of a motorcycle from a house at Vazhapilly in Guruvayur.

During interrogation after being taken into custody, Manaf allegedly confessed to the theft and told police that the stolen items had been hidden in Kodungallur. Police subsequently recovered the idol from a rented house at Chennamangalam in Kodungallur.

Manaf is reportedly an accused in around 20 theft cases, including cases registered at Kunnamkulam police station.

The investigation team was led by Thrissur City Police Commissioner Nakul Rajendra Deshmukh and included Kunnamkulam ACP Saju K Abraham, Thrissur City Special Branch ACP Bijoy, Kunnamkulam Circle Inspector Anil T Meppilly, SI Rohith and Special Branch Inspector Reneesh.

Members of the Thrissur City SAGOC team, including ASI P K Pazhaniswamy, Senior Civil Police Officers Saji Chandran, Krishnaprasad and Rejin, and Civil Police Officers Suneeb, Simson, Sreejith, Naijon and Arun, were also part of the investigation. Kunnamkulam police station ASI Lijon and Civil Police Officers Abheesh and Anoop were also on the team.