Balajis ornamental leaves stolen, gang held

TIRUPATI: A nine-member gang, which had stolen the gold-coated ornamental leaves of the golden umbrella atop the golden chariot of Lord Venkateswara on Tirumala in the first week of January, was nabbed by the crime branch police here on Saturday.Tirupati Urban superintendent of police J Prabhakar Rao said that the gang, led by R Ramesh (29) of Uppuguda in Hyderabad, was involved in the theft of 57 gold-coated leaves, figures of Gandharvas and Srichakra - all worth `70,000. Though all members of the gang were involved in the crime, it was Ramesh who actually stole the leaves. Police nabbed the gang that was taking shelter near a railway under-bridge on the Alipiri-Cherlopalle road.  “We recovered 72 gm of gold and 128 gm of copper leaves and the orb,'' the SP said. When Ramesh was asked why he had committed the crime, he said he felt that Lord Balaji had asked him to steal.