Mumbai Crime: Three get life for killing security guard during theft at temple in Borivli

The Nandishwar Digambar Jain temple in Borivli

Three burglars who killed a security guard at a Jain temple in Borivli to steal the idols in 2010, were sentenced to life imprisonment on Saturday. Four of their associates were acquitted by the court due to lack of evidence, while two other accused died during the trial.

The theft

In the wee hours of August 22, 2010 around 8 to 9 accused plundered the Nandishwar Digambar Jain temple in Borivli before murdering watchman Devi Singh, who tried to stop them, police said. Another watchman, Rajesh Joshi, was severely injured in the attack that created an uproar in the city. The robbers had fled with six panchdhatu (mixture of five metals) idols and 22 silver umbrellas and other valuables, collectively worth over Rs 4.50 lakh.

On September 4 that year, the Mumbai Crime Branch arrested Harun Shaikh, Ramesh Patil, Santosh Bhoir, Rajguru Singh from Goregaon while four other culprits, Suresh Gupta, Vinod Kumar Yadav, Vicki Thapa and Mukesh Kumar Yadav, were apprehended from Navi Mumbai. The stolen idols were recovered.

The prosecution had examined 30 witnesses and after considering evidence, the court acquitted Gupta, Vinod Kumar Yadav, Thapa and Mukesh Kumar Yadav. Harun Shaikh, Ramesh Patil, Santosh Bhoir were convicted and two other accused had died during the trial.

According to the police of the two Nepali watchmen at the temple, one died on the spot while the other was seriously injured in the accident. The injured watchman went back to his village after being discharged from hospital and did not return.

The sentence

Public Prosecutor Shilpa Mhatekar argued that the three accused persons who were found guilty by the court, be given maximum punishment as the offence was heinous and brutal, and after considering the same, Additional Sessions Judge D D Koche sentenced them to 16 years of imprisonment under sections 396, 397 and 120-B of IPC.