Koraput: Jeypore police arrested a notorious history-sheeter of Nagapur village under Itamati police limits in Nayagarh district on Saturday. The accused Ghanashyam Das (45) is involved in 47 temple loot cases across Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
Police sources said Das looted 24 temples in Andhra Pradesh, 14 in Odisha, and nine in Karnataka.His arrest followed a complaint by Sana Venkata Ramana (76), secretary of Vasavi Kanyaka Parameswari temple in Jeypore, filed on February 4, 2024.
The complaint detailed a theft the previous night. The thief broke into the temple’s office and main gate, stealing Rs 21,244 in cash, 14 grams of gold, 312 grams of silver, and a CCTV DVR, among other items. The estimated value of the stolen goods was around Rs 3 lakh.
“During the investigation, we discovered that the accused had disconnected the CCTV at the temple and took away the DVR, making it difficult to identify the culprit. However, after reviewing footage from nearby cameras, we zeroed in on Ghanashyam Das,” said SDPO (Jeypore) Ankit Verma.
Verma said Das is known for scouting temples before committing burglaries. He uses a gas cutter and iron rods to break locks and steal silver and gold ornaments.
Following identification, police conducted multiple raids, arresting Das from an abandoned house. Several stolen properties were recovered from him.
During interrogation, Das confessed to the crime and revealed he had fled to Rayagada and looted items worth over Rs 5 lakh from Sai Temple.

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