Bhubaneswar, Aug 29: The Commissionerate Police have apprehended a man living a double life-a YouTube preacher by day and a serial burglar by night. The accused, 42-year-old Manoj Kumar Singh from Khajuripada, Baideswar in Cuttack, had been wanted in connection with multiple theft cases across the city.
Singh’s most recent crime was reported on August 14, when Subhashree Nayak of Khandagiribari filed a complaint at Bharatpur police station. Subhashree, who lives with her husband Debabrata Mohanty, claimed that their home had been broken into while they were both at work. When Debabrata returned at around 2:30 p.m., he found the main door lock broken and the bedroom cupboard ransacked. Stolen items included 300 grams of gold ornaments and ₹5 lakh in cash.
In response, the police launched an intensive investigation, combining human intelligence with technical surveillance. Singh was quickly identified as the prime suspect. Upon his arrest, police recovered 200 grams of gold, ₹1,00,000 in cash, a two-wheeler (OD-13-W-1744), and an iron rod believed to have been used in the burglary.
Further probing revealed that Singh had mortgaged 82 grams of the stolen gold at a local UNI Gold branch in Nayagarh for ₹4.73 lakh. The remaining stolen gold and cash were recovered from his possession.
According to the police, Singh had been a habitual burglar, often targeting homes after carefully surveying them. On August 14, he had used his two-wheeler and the iron rod to break into the Nayak-Mohanty residence and carry out the theft in less than 10 minutes.
In a shocking twist, Singh also ran a YouTube channel called “Change Your Life,” where he shared sermons on morality, crime prevention, and how to lead a peaceful life. In his videos, he often reflected on his criminal past, claiming he had reformed and urging others not to follow a life of crime.
A police officer commented, “By day, he was a preacher dispensing wisdom; by night, he was a thief breaking into homes across the city.” Singh’s arrest has revealed a stark contrast between his public persona as a moral guide and his secret life as a serial criminal. He is also linked to over 10 other theft cases in Nayapalli, Tamando, Bharatpur, and other areas.
