Theft at Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple in Kerala: Four held

Thiruvananthapuram: Four people were taken into custody from Haryana for allegedly stealing a bronze vessel from the famed Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple here, Kerala police said on Sunday.

The traditional vessel, called "uruli" in local parlance, was used for poojas and rituals at the ancient shrine known for its priceless treasures kept in secret vaults.

Fort police here confirmed that the accused were identified and taken into custody with the support of Haryana police but didn't divulge much detail.

"One of the accused was a doctor having Australian citizenship. A group comprising him and two or three women had visited the shrine and offered prayers last week. The crime reportedly occurred on Thursday," a police officer said.

As the vessel went missing, the temple authorities informed the police, who later identified the accused through a detailed examination of CCTV visuals, sources said.

They were later traced to Haryana, and with the support of the local police there, the accused were taken into custody.

The accused are expected to be brought to the Kerala capital later in the day, sources added.

The theft held at the highly secured temple, where police and thunderbolt personnel are on guard round-the-clock, was a shock to the authorities.