A 45-year-old HIV-positive man has been arrested in Durg after allegedly carrying out a series of thefts targeting temple donation boxes over nearly a decade. The accused, who chose to remain unnamed, confessed that he viewed his virus contraction as an “act of God” and embarked on the thefts as an expression of anger toward divinity .

According to police officials, he admitted involvement in at least ten thefts at temples across Durg and its outskirts, though investigators suspect the actual number may be higher. His criminal patterns were methodical. He conducted reconnaissance on temple sites, executed thefts at night, parked his two-wheeler at a distance, changed clothes to obscure his identity from CCTV cameras, avoided stealing jewelry, and exited discreetly through bylanes.

In his final act, he broke into a Jain temple on the night of August 23–24. That theft led to his capture, aided by CCTV footage and investigative follow-up. Authorities recovered coins amounting to ₹1,282 and the two-wheeler he used during the crimes. Temple administrators estimate the targeted donation box held approximately ₹60,000.

Senior Superintendent of Police Vijay Agrawal noted that the man’s accusation—that he contracted HIV due to an unhygienic bed during his 2012 imprisonment for assault—marked the turning point in his life. He believed he had been wronged by fate, motivating him to “give vent to his anger at God” by stealing from places of worship. Officials also observed signs of mental instability during interrogation.

Currently, the accused has been remanded in judicial custody, and a formal investigation is underway, including a detailed review of CCTV footage and reconstruction of his movements across multiple theft sites.