Four held for trying to sell Durga idol, Nagamani stone for Rs 1 crore in Hyderabad

Officials of the Commissioner's Task Force, West Zone, Hyderabad, arrested four accused persons who were trying to sell an idol of Goddess Durga and a Nagamani stone for Rs 1 crore.

According to Anjani Kumar, Commissioner of Police (CP), Hyderabad City, the four accused were trying to sell the idol and Nagamani stone by claiming that it would be auspicious if they are kept inside the house.

"On February 25 the sleuths of Commissioner's Task Force, West Zone team apprehended four accused persons by name B Devender, T John, Prem Chand Gupta and Mohd Ashraf. Police have seized an idol of Goddess Durga, one Nagamani stone and three cell phones from their possession," he added.

About three years back, one of the accused persons, Devender, had purchased the Nagamani stone from an unknown person during his visit to Mumbai.

After reaching Hyderabad he kept the same in his house. A few months back he came into contact with John and Durga Prasad who used to visit Jiyaguda area regularly.

On seeing Devender's Nagamani stone, they told him that it is an auspicious item and if it is worshipped along with a 'panchaloha' idol of Goddess Durga, which they possessed, it will result in huge profit in their business.

They hatched a plan to sell the two items and share the amount equally. Devender then got in touch with another accused Mohd Ashraf, a friend of his, and asked him to get customers to whom he could sell the items for Rs 1 crore.

Ashraf informed the same to accused Prem Chand Gupta asking him to get customers. He also introduced Gupta to Devender.

On Tuesday the accused persons, namely John, Ashraf and Gupta came to Devender's residence and collected the two items. They then went to Jiyaguda area of Kulsumpura, Hyderabad, to sell the same where the West Zone Task Force team apprehended them.

The accused persons along with the seized material were handed over to the Station House Officer (SHO), Kulsumpura PS, for further investigation.