TIRUCHY: A youth, who attempted to lift as many as 12 panchaloha idols from a temple, was arrested in Thanjavur and 25 grams of jewels were seized from him on Friday.

On December 17, Dinesh, priest of Vedavalli Sameda Naganathar Temple in Pookulam in Thanjavur was shocked to see as many as 12 panchaloha idols missing from the temple.

He lodged a complaint with Thanjavur West police, who rushed and found that the missing idols were abandoned in a gunny bag on the banks of the temple tank.

Police arrested Anand (27) from Karanthai in Thanjavur.

Anand confessed to the crime and said he lifted all the panchaloha idols and had stolen nine-gram gold and 16-gram silver ornaments adorned on the idols.

He left the idols on the bank of the temple tank, as he found people’s movement after the heist.