Hyderabad: Couple arrested for snatching 30-gram gold ornament from elderly woman at temple

Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], October 22 (ANI): Vanasthalipuram Police under the Malkajgiri Commissionerate arrested a man and a woman for allegedly snatching a gold ornament weighing approximately 30 grams from a 66-year-old woman at a temple in Hyderabad's Hasthinapuram, officials said. 
Police said that they recovered the stolen gold ornament and two mobile phones from the accused. 
The incident took place on October 18 at around 6.04 am when the victim, identified as Andugula Ramulamma, was cleaning the Raja Rajeshwari Temple in Venkata Ramana Colony, Hasthinapuram.
According to the police, the accused, identified as Annapu Reddy Durga Ramana Reddy, 23, and Tenka Varalaxmi, 24, allegedly targeted the elderly woman while she was alone at the temple. The duo allegedly snatched her gold pusthelathadu, a traditional gold ornament, and fled from the spot on a scooter.
As per the police account, the accused subsequently attempted to sell the stolen gold but could not find a buyer. They later parked the scooter at Nadikudi Railway Station in Narsaraopet, Andhra Pradesh, and boarded a train to return to Hyderabad.
Police said the accused allegedly followed a modus operandi of targeting elderly women who were alone in isolated places.
During the alleged offence, the woman accused caught hold of the victim and covered her mouth, while the male accused forcibly removed the gold ornament from her neck. They then fled on a two-wheeler with the stolen property, intending to sell it for money.
Both accused were apprehended on October 21 at around 9 am near a jewellery shop in Kamala Nagar, Vanasthalipuram, police said.
The seized property includes one gold pusthelathadu weighing approximately 30 grams and two mobile phones belonging to both the accused. 
The operation was conducted under the guidance of Malkajgiri Commissioner of Police B Sumathi, and the supervision of DCP, LB Nagar Zone, B Anuradha. The police team involved in the operation included ACP, Vanasthalipuram Division, T Karunakar Rao; SHO S Ravi Babu; DI B Rajesh; and Sub-Inspectors V Ravi and D Mallaiah, along with the Vanasthalipuram Crime Team. (ANI)