₹2.18 lakh worth stolen property recovered in Parashurama Theme Park copper theft case; two arrested

Karkala: In a major breakthrough in the copper sheet theft case at the controversial Parashurama Theme Park building, Karkala town police have arrested two accused and recovered stolen property worth approximately ₹2.18 lakh, including 51 kg of copper sheets valued at ₹45,000.

The arrested accused have been identified as Arif alias Munna (37), a resident of Kalavaru, and Abdul Hameed (32) from Kavoor. Police said the duo was involved in the theft of copper cladding installed on the roof of the Parashurama Theme Park building located at Ummikal Betta in Bailuru village of Karkala taluk.

According to police, the incident occurred on January 3, when miscreants forcibly opened the main entrance of the theme park building using tools and illegally gained entry. They then removed copper sheets fixed on the rooftop and fled the scene. A complaint was subsequently lodged, and a case was registered at the Karkala town police station under Sections 331(3), 331(4) and 305 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.

Considering the seriousness of the offence and the sensitivity surrounding the disputed theme park, Udupi District Superintendent of Police Hariram Shankar, IPS, ordered the formation of three special investigation teams. These teams conducted extensive searches and intelligence-based operations across Udupi district, Dakshina Kannada district and the Mangaluru city limits.

Based on credible information, the police successfully traced the suspects and took them into custody. During interrogation, the accused reportedly confessed to the crime, following which the stolen copper sheets and other related materials were recovered. The total value of the seized stolen property is estimated to be around ₹2.18 lakh, police officials said.

The recovery has brought relief to local authorities, as the Parashurama Theme Park has been at the centre of political and administrative controversy for a long time. Police officials stated that further investigation is underway to ascertain whether the accused were involved in similar thefts elsewhere and to identify any additional accomplices.

Senior police officers have appreciated the efforts of the investigation teams for cracking the case in a short span of time. The accused are expected to be produced before the court and remanded to judicial custody.