Fake Priest Robs Jain Temple In Chinchwad, Arrested Within 48 Hours By Pimpri-Chinchwad Police
Fake Priest Robs Jain Temple In Chinchwad, Arrested Within 48 Hours By Pimpri-Chinchwad Police ( Representative Image )
Pimpri-Chinchwad | March 2, 2026
In a shocking case of religious disguise and theft, a habitual offender posing as a priest carried out a theft at a Jain temple in Chinchwad but was arrested within 48 hours by the Pimpri-Chinchwad Crime Branch (Unit 1).
The accused has been identified as Naresh Agarchand Jain, who allegedly entered the Bhagwan Shri Adeshwar Shankeshwar Parshwanath Jain Temple disguised as a temple priest.
How the Crime Was Executed
According to police officials, the accused)planned the theft carefully to avoid suspicion. Dressed in priestly attire, he entered the temple, first offered prayers, folded his hands before the deity, and behaved like a regular devotee. Once he found the right opportunity, he discreetly removed a silver crown worth approximately ₹2.5 lakh from the idol.
He concealed the crown in a cloth and exited the temple without raising any immediate suspicion.
CCTV Footage Exposes the Crime
The accused believed he had escaped unnoticed. However, CCTV cameras installed inside the temple recorded his entire movement. After temple authorities discovered the theft, a complaint was immediately filed with the police. Investigation of the CCTV footage clearly revealed the face of the accused in priestly disguise.
Swift Police Action
Based on technical surveillance and footage analysis, the Pimpri-Chinchwad Crime Branch traced and arrested Naresh Jain within 48 hours of the incident.
During interrogation, police revealed that Jain is a history-sheeter with 12 previous criminal cases registered against him across multiple police stations. The stolen silver crown has been successfully recovered.
Ongoing Investigation
Police officials stated that further investigation is underway to verify whether the accused is linked to similar temple thefts in other areas.
