Temple vessel theft: Australian citizen did not do it intentionally, says Kerala police

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala police said on Sunday that the Australian citizen, taken into custody in connection with the missing bronze vessel from the famed Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple, did not do it deliberately.

Although a theft case had initially been registered, the charges were reduced after a detailed interrogation of the individual, identified as Ganesh Jha, a Haryana native who also holds Australian citizenship, police said.

The traditional vessel, called "uruli" in local parlance, was used for poojas and rituals at the ancient shrine known for its priceless treasures kept in secret vaults.

As the vessel went missing on Thursday, the temple authorities informed the police, who later identified the accused through a detailed examination of CCTV visuals.

Jha was later traced to Haryana, and with the support of the local police there, he was taken into custody. He was brought to the state capital on Sunday and police later decided to reduce the charges against him.

Jha said that he would not have taken the vessel outside the temple if anyone had objected to it, sources said.

"During the interrogation, we realised that he had no intention of stealing the temple utensil. A theft case had been registered initially, but now the charges have been reduced," said a senior police officer.

Jha was accompanied by his family members when he was brought here today by the police. The officer said that he would be released soon.

Earlier, police said four persons, including Jha, were taken into custody. Later, they clarified that Jha was accompained by family members.

The reports of theft at the highly secured temple, where police and thunderbolt personnel are on guard round-the-clock, were a shock to the authorities.