Hyderabad Bust: Six Nabbed for Peddling Fake Lakshmi Idol and 'Miracle' Stone

You know, it's truly disheartening to see how far some individuals will go to exploit faith and hope for financial gain. That's exactly what played out recently in Hyderabad, where police have busted a racket involving six people attempting to peddle a fake Panchaloha Lakshmi idol and a rather mysterious pink-coloured stone, both touted as possessing divine, fortune-bringing powers.

The arrests, which took place on a Saturday – we're talking about August 15th, according to reports published the very next day – were the result of a swift operation by the Hyderabad Commissioner's Task Force, specifically their Jubilee Hills Zone unit, working hand-in-hand with the Mailardevpally police. The accused were apprehended in Laxmiguda, Katedan, an area that now finds itself at the center of this curious case of alleged spiritual fraud.

Among those now behind bars are Kethavath Raju, 38; Vadathya Kumar, 34; Praveen Singh, 34; Mangali Basava Naresh, 38; P. Narsimha, 45; and Challa Ravi, who is 38 and happens to be an astrologer. Most, if not all, are residents of Hyderabad or nearby districts. It's quite a lineup, isn't it?

So, what exactly did the authorities seize during this bust? Well, besides the obvious fake Panchaloha idol of Goddess Lakshmi and that intriguing pink stone, they also confiscated an SUV, five mobile phones, three bottles containing some unidentified liquid – which really makes you wonder – and a couple of red towels. These items, particularly the idol and stone, were reportedly being marketed with grand claims of bringing immense wealth and good fortune to anyone who possessed them. A classic tale of deception, really.

What makes this story even more convoluted is that it appears some of the accused were themselves caught in a web of deceit, making this whole affair even more complex. Take P. Narsimha, for instance. He allegedly confessed that he was duped back in 2024, shelling out a whopping ₹10 lakh for what he believed to be a genuine idol. He reportedly bought it from Challa Ravi (yes, the astrologer now also arrested) along with a person named Kondapelli Bikshapathi and others from Vemulawada. It really makes you wonder about the chain of fraud here, doesn't it?

And then there's Kethavath Raju's story concerning the stone. He claimed to have purchased it from someone identified only as Malik, hailing from Hussainialam. This pattern of alleged secondary victimization suggests a larger network of individuals preying on the hopes and beliefs of others, a stark reminder that if something sounds too good to be true, it almost certainly is. The investigation continues, aiming to unravel the full extent of this elaborate scheme and bring all those involved to justice.