Former police constable held for stealing idol

A former police constable has been arrested with a stolen 'ashtadhatu' (eight-metal) idol of Buddha worth about Rs 35 lakh from Amethi district, police said here.

Ashok Kumar Gautam was arrested on a tip-off by a police team yesterday near railway crossing in Balbhadrapur village in Amethi with the idol, police said.

During interrogation, Gautam told police that he was a homeguard constable but was terminated from service in 1998 for taking bribe and his involvement a molestation case.

He said he had purchased the idol from a thief in Shahjahanpur for Rs 50,000.