Bantwal: Inter-state thieves target homes, One caught by locals

Bantwal: In an incident involving a group of inter-state thieves who targeted a residence for burglary, the public played a crucial role in nabbing one of the culprits and handing him over to the police in Kadangadi, Manchi village.

The arrested has been identified as Praveen, a resident of Karakkal in Kollam district, Kerala, and his accomplice remains at large. The police have also confiscated the motorcycle used during the burglary.

Local residents acted in unison to report the incident.

The thieves broke into two houses owned by the brothers Kamaruddin and Jalaluddin, located near Manchi Masjid, and also targeted Hamid’s residence in Kadangadi.

These houses are known for their security and were considered the least likely targets for such incidents. It is worth noting that one of the houses had recently been occupied.

The burglars forcibly entered the residence of Kamaruddin and Jalaluddin by breaking the back door, but, after finding no valuables, they left empty-handed.

At Hamid’s house in Kadangadi, the thieves managed to steal Rs 3,000 from a cupboard.

Saturday night was an opportune time for the thieves as none of the three families were at home. They had all gone to a relative’s house. The burglars typically observed houses without lights to determine if anyone was present before proceeding with their break-ins.

On the night of the incident, heavy rain and lightning made for challenging conditions. However, the two thieves targeted the unlit houses near the mosque. After failing to find anything of value, they attempted a break-in at Hamid’s house, where they were noticed by relatives.

One of Hamid’s relatives had been instructed to switch off the inverter due to the thunderstorm, and upon reaching the residence, they spotted two individuals fleeing the scene. They immediately alerted others and set out in pursuit. The thieves abandoned their motorcycle and attempted to escape on foot.

The villagers, fueled by anger over the attempted theft, banded together and tracked down one of the thieves.

The caught thief was given a stern warning by the public before being handed over to the police.

Rural SI Harish conducted an on-site inspection, and authorities deployed a dog squad and a team of fingerprint experts for further investigation. The search continues for the remaining fugitive involved in the incident.

More details are expected to emerge as the investigation proceeds with the accused currently in police custody.