A local news contributor and two other unidentified men were arrested for reported treasure hunting here in the Aravapally village panchayat in the mandal on Tuesday, according to the police.
The treasure hunters, led by a contributor to an electronic news channel Balraj, had dug up property behind the ancient Sri Yogananda Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple on the road.
“They appear to have tried to make a tunnel from under a tree stump. The scene suggests they performed a puja before taking up digging,” the police said. Sources said the adjoining premises was an old property of the suspect and a part of it was lost in road extension work.
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Earlier, the locals had raised an alarm over the diggings, which led to the police taking notice of the issue now.
The ancient Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple got a sanction of ₹1 crore for redevelopment after the late irrigation expert and adviser to the government R. Vidyasagar Rao, a native of the mandal apprised the Chief Minister of its importance.
Except the garbagriha, the temple is under construction and renovation.
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The Arvapally police said cases were booked against the treasure hunters and an investigation has been opened in light of frequent diggings for treasure in the surrounding areas.