‘Monk’ who burgled Jain temples held

Chennai: After a year-long search, city police arrested Jeevan Singh, 60, from Pune who disguised himself as a monk and burgled several Jain temples in TN, Telangana, and Karnataka.Police said he was arrested by a team led by inspector Alagammal and produced before a Pune court. A transit warrant was obtained, and he was brought to Chennai by train and lodged in Puzhal prison.
The case surfaced in Feb 2025, when a 600g gold bar and a 10kg silver crown were stolen from a Jain temple on Mint Street in Sowcarpet. The Elephant Gate police found that a man covered his face with a cloth and used a torchlight to commit the theft.Three months ago, a similar robbery was reported at a Jain temple in Kachiguda district in Telangana. The police team shared CCTV footage with the Elephant Gate police, and a comparison confirmed that the same man was involved in both incidents.An investigation identified the suspect. During interrogation, he told police that with the stolen money, he bought a plot in Lonikand and constructed separate houses for his wife, son, and daughter.