Maha: Case registered against two for theft and arson at temple

PTI, May 14, 2023, 4:41 PM IST

Police in Maharashtra’s Palghar district have registered a case against two persons who allegedly robbed cash from a temple after hitting the priest and setting afire furniture and a car parked nearby, an official said on Sunday.

Sachin Navadkar, public relations officer of the district police, said the duo has been identified though no arrest has been made so far. According to the complaint lodged by the priest of Saibaba temple at Boisar, two persons broke into the shrine around 3 am on May 12.

They kicked the priest and set fire to six chairs and walked away with the cash box containing about Rs 20,000, the official said. The accused then allegedly set afire a car parked in the vicinity. They also pulled out a knife and threatened to harm the car owner after he tried to save his vehicle, he said. Police have registered a case against the two under Indian Penal Code sections, including 457 (house-breaking), 380 (theft), and 435 (mischief by fire), he said.