Kasaragod: Kasaragod Police have arrested three members of an inter-state burglary gang, allegedly targeting everything from banks and temples to petty shops and houses in the district.

The arrested individuals were identified as Ibrahim Kalandar (42), a native of Kabaka village in Puttur taluk, Dakshina Kannada; Mohammed Faisal (36), a resident of Ullal, Dakshina Kannada; and Syed Aman (22), from Melekote, Tumkur. According to police statements, the trio faces charges in 29 cases, including sexual assault of children, murder, and bank heists in Karnataka and Kerala.

Ibrahim Kalandar, who now lives with his second wife in Bambrana village in Kasaragod's Kumbla panchayat, was specifically arrested for the burglary at the Ayyappa Bhajana Mandir near JASB School at Manya in Bela village.

On November 4, burglars broke the locks on the grills, the sanctum sanctorum, and the offering box. They stole a framed brass idol, a silver Rudraksha necklace adorned with gold, and cash from the offering box, totalling around Rs 5 lakh, said Badiadka Sub-Inspector Nikhil K K, who arrested Ibrahim.

Ibrahim and his gang are suspected of being involved in several other burglaries at Shri Dharma Sastha Temple in Poinachi within Melparamba police station limits, at Edneer Temple in Vidyanagar Station limits, and in temples in Karnataka’s Bantwal, and burglary attempts at a bank in Madikeri and a house break-in at Kushal Nagar, said the officer.

Police described Ibrahim as a seasoned thief. On February 8, a Thursday, bank officials discovered that four lockers had been cut open, with Rs 17,28,735 in cash, 696.21 grams of jewellery, and silver worth Rs 1 lakh missing.

On March 11, Vitla police arrested him, Mohammed Rafeeq alias Goodina Bali Rafeeq (35) from B Mooda village in Bantwal taluk, and Dayanand S (37) from Bayar village in Manjeshwar.

Following the arrests, Dakshina Kannada police recovered Rs 2,40,700 in cash, Rs 2 lakh worth of household items, Rs 12,48,218 worth of jewellery, a Brezza car, a gas cutter, and other items, for a total haul of Rs 25.71 lakh.

In Kasaragod, three police stations—Melparamba, Vidyanagar, and Manjeshwar—have booked him for theft, burglary, and house break-ins. In Karnataka, he is facing similar charges in 11 cases—three in Puttur town police stations, two in Vittal police stations, and one each in Bantwal, Uppinangadi, Kushal Nagar, and Virajpet Rural police stations.

Whenever a case was filed against him, he would relocate, sometimes alone and other times with his family, said SI Nikhil. In a press statement, Kasaragod Police said: "Ibrahim is a key link, and we are conducting an intensive investigation in collaboration with the Karnataka police," said Kasaragod police in a statement.

How the gang was busted
On November 10, Kasaragod Police Chief Devaiah received a tip-off that a gang was planning to enter Kasaragod to burgle a bank. Kasaragod DySP Sunil Kumar CK led a team that set up a checkpoint near the Majirpalla police station. “We spotted a Swift car without a number plate and signalled it to stop, but it sped away,” said the officer.

The police pursued the car and, with help from residents, intercepted it at Daigoli. Inside were six men who attacked the people. Four of them escaped. Ibrahim was reportedly among those who fled, according to the police. The locals and police managed to overpower two gang members — Mohammed Faisal and Syed Aman.

"The car was a rented vehicle," said DySP Sunil Kumar. Inside the car, the police recovered a gas cutter, oxygen cylinder, gas cylinder, drilling machine, sharp weapons including machetes and swords, gloves, monkey caps, bags, and various break-in tools such as cutting pliers and screwdrivers.

During the investigation, police found that Mohammed Faisal is involved in around 16 cases, including theft registered in various police stations such as Ullal, Udupi, Mangalore South, Udupi Town, Konaje, and Mulki in Karnataka and theft cases in Kerala’s Kumbla and Manjeshwar police stations. He is also a suspect in a murder case under Berike Police Station in Karnataka. Syed Aman is wanted in a POCSO case under Tumkur Mahila Police Station in Karnataka. "Their questioning helped us pick up Ibrahim," said DySP Sunil Kumar.

SI Nikhil said that the gang was en route to a bank in Manjeshwar, where they had previously made an unsuccessful break-in attempt.