The police arrested a woman on Tuesday in connection with an attempted gold chain theft amid the massive rush of devotees at the annual Kottiyoor festival. The accused, identified as Jyothi, a native of Thathamangalam in Palakkad district, was taken into custody by the Kelakam police after she was allegedly caught red-handed while trying to snatch a gold chain from a devotee.
The incident occurred at the temple premises during a peak period of pilgrim influx. Devotees and police personnel on duty noticed the woman attempting to pull a chain from the neck of a devotee moving through the temple area. She was immediately restrained and handed over to the police.
During preliminary interrogation, police gathered further details about the incident and found that Jyothi had been involved in several theft cases in the past. The incident took place amid the peak rush of devotees attending the annual Kottiyoor festival, one of the North Kerala’s major religious gatherings.
Published – June 16, 2026 05:32 pm IST
