Two held with stolen idol, gun

CUTTACK: Purighat Police cornered two persons while they were moving suspiciously  near the Hanuman temple on the Kathjodi Ring Road on Tuesday. A stolen idol and firearms were recovered from their possession.The brass idol of Goddess Durga was a stolen one, presumably from a temple in the city or outside, and the duo were allegedly waiting to dispose it of to a prospective customer. They have been identified as Aju alias Ajay Das (50) of Tala Telenga Bazaar and one Bikram Das alias Dipu (30) of Upper Telenga Bazaar.   Police said, Ajay had been released from jail after serving a sentence of 20 years in 2009. He was convicted in the murder of one Biju Behera of the same locality in 1989.   Ajay had allegedly become a drug addict in the jail. He had been continuing with drugs even after his release. Bikram was also a drug addict and both had acquired the idol to sell it off and get money for the dope. The gun was also allegedly procured from a person in Machchua Bazaar, they have admitted.Both have been arrested and forwarded to judicial custody.