Moodbidri Basadi theft case: 12 idols sent to Police Commissioner's office through courier

[email protected] (CD Network, Photos by Ahmed Anwar)
November 6, 2013

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Mangalore, Nov 6: In a surprising twist in one of the biggest temple heists in the state, a total of 12 antique idols that were stolen from Moodbidri Siddhanta Jain Basadi in July this year, arrived at the Mangalore City Police Commissioner's office through courier on Tuesday.

It is said that the parcel had been sent from Raipur in Chhattisgarh, though official sources are yet to confirm this.

The artefacts that arrived through courier have been verified by Jain seer of Moodabidri Bhattaraka Shree who confirmed that they were the same idols that were stolen from the Basadi on July 6, this year. The seer said that he verified the idols in presence of Police Commissioner Manish Kharbikar, investigating officer ACP Ravi Kumar, Moodbidri police inspector Ananth Padmanabha, PSI Ramesh Kumar and others.

Briefing mediapersons at a press conference here on Wednesday, Police Commissioner Manish Kharbikar said that the courier had arrived through speed post at his office here on Tuesday. “Weighing 750 grams, the courier included a'From' address, the verification of which is being looked into. However, there is no clue as to who might have sent it. Further investigation is being conducted in this regard,” he said.

Earlier, the Mangalore police had nabbed four accused in the case and recovered three idols in their original form and five golden idols which had been melted into gold bricks.

“With the recovery of 12 idols yesterday, the total recovery of the stolen artefacts in the heist is more than as mentioned in the FIR registered on July 6,” said Mr Kharbikar.

The recovered artefacts including'Chandraprabha Swamiji','Siddha Parameshti' made of crystal,'Munisuvratha Swamiji' made of crystal,'Khadgasana' made of crystal, emerald-studded'Arihantha Parameshti', blue sapphire-studded'Munisuvratha','Arihantha' and other statues made of crystal are in possession of the police.

Though the official announcement claims that the idols had reached the Commissioner's office in a parcel, the police officials are not keen on letting out more details in this regard. There is bound to be uncertainty over the veracity of the claim as several people claim that it is impossible to send precious artefacts through courier.

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News Network
December 2,2025

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Bengaluru: 'Nati koli saaru' (country chicken curry) considered one of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s favourites along with steaming hot idlis was on the breakfast menu at Deputy CM D K Shivakumar’s residence on Tuesday, according to official sources.

The spread also included 'nati koli' fry, vada and pongal, among other items, they said.

In an apparent show of unity, Siddaramaiah visited Shivakumar’s residence for breakfast, just days after the two leaders shared a meal amid a simmering power tussle in the state Congress.

Siddaramaiah drove to the Deputy CM’s residence in Sadashivanagar, where he was received by Shivakumar and his brother D K Suresh, who is a former Congress MP.

Suresh and Kunigal MLA H D Ranganath, a relative of Shivakumar, joined them for breakfast, which featured a mix of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes.

Speaking to reporters later, Siddaramaiah said Shivakumar had invited him during his visit to the CM’s residence for breakfast on Saturday.

Asked about the difference between the two meals, the chief minister said, "At his (Shivakumar’s) house it was non-veg, while at my house it was veg. He is a vegetarian, I am a non-vegetarian. I had not prepared non-veg. I told DK to get chicken from the village as you won’t get the original in Bengaluru."

Shivakumar said he had initially invited Siddaramaiah to his residence, but the CM had suggested visiting his place first and reciprocating later. "It was a vegetarian breakfast at the CM’s house on Saturday," he noted.

"Today, I invited him (the CM) to my house. He enjoyed the breakfast, which had his Mysuru taste," Shivakumar added. At this point, Siddaramaiah remarked that Shivakumar’s wife is also from Mysuru.

Saturday’s breakfast at Siddaramaiah’s official residence, held as part of efforts by the Congress high command to ease tensions in the leadership dispute between the two, reportedly included idlis and sambar, according to official sources.

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coastaldigest.com news network
December 2,2025

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Udupi, Dec 2: A wave of regional pride is sweeping through Udupi district as Shagun S Verma Hegde, a talented Class 9 student from Christ King English Medium High School, Karkala, has been named the captain of the Indian National Team for the Under-15 Girls’ Volleyball Championship.

Shagun holds the unique distinction of being the sole player from Karnataka selected to represent the country in the prestigious international tournament. The championship, organized by the School Games Federation, is scheduled to take place in Shangluo, China, from December 3 to 13, where Shagun will lead the national squad.

A Remarkable Journey to the Top

Shagun’s selection is a testament to her dedication and exceptional skill on the court. Her journey included several rigorous rounds of selection:

•    She was the only player from Udupi district to qualify for the state-level selection camp.

•    Out of eight players from Karnataka who advanced to the national selection camp in Pune, Maharashtra, Shagun was the only one to secure a place in the final national squad.

•    The national camp saw participation from approximately 200 players, which was shortlisted to 23. Shagun not only made the final cut but was also ranked as the second-best player overall, solidifying her leadership role.

Shagun, who is the daughter of Sandesh Verma and Shruthiraj of Kallotte, Karkala, has trained under experienced coaches Santosh D’Souza, Jeevan D’Silva, Jairaj Poojary, and Ramesh. Her selection as the team captain has brought profound honour to her family, school, the Udupi district, and the entire state of Karnataka.

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News Network
December 4,2025

Udupi: A 40-year-old NRI from Udupi has reportedly lost more than Rs 12.25 lakh in an online investment scam operated through Telegram.

According to a complaint filed at the CEN police station, Leo Jerome Mendonsa, who has been working in Dubai for the past 15 years in computer accessories sales, maintains NRI accounts in Karkala and Nitte.

On November 12, 2025, Mendonsa was added to a Telegram group called Instaflow Earnings by unknown individuals. Users identified as Priya and Dipannita persuaded him to invest in “Revenue Tasks.” Initially, Mendonsa transferred Rs 1,100 multiple times and received the promised returns, encouraging him to continue.

On November 14, another user, Nishmitha Shetty, directed him to register on a website, digitvisionuoce.cc, and invest Rs 4 lakh in various shares. Over the next few days, he made multiple transfers totaling Rs 12,25,000, including Rs 50,000 via Google Pay, believing the scheme was legitimate.

After receiving the money, the alleged handlers stopped responding, and neither the invested amount nor the promised profits were returned.

The CEN police have registered a case under Sections 66(C) and 66(D) of the IT Act and Section 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and investigations are ongoing.

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