Malkangiri, June 30: In a major breakthrough, Malkangiri Police have arrested two persons from Kanyakumari in connection with the 2021 theft of 700 grams of gold jewellery from a jewellery shop in Odisha's Malkangiri district.

The accused have been identified as Madasu John Paul alias Jagadish and Inturi Oruna alias Archana, both natives of Guntur district in Andhra Pradesh.

According to police, the duo allegedly executed the theft in 2021 by offering sweets laced with intoxicants to Subash Patil, owner of Prasad Jewellers, under the guise of prasad(holy offering). After the shop owner lost consciousness, the accused allegedly fled with around 700 grams of gold jewellery.

The case remained under investigation for nearly five years before the Malkangiri Town Police traced the accused to Kanyakumari and arrested them.

Police recovered 200 grams of melted gold, two pistols, nine live cartridges, two gold-melting machines, a laptop, and a motorcycle from the accused during the operation.

The accused have been produced before the court, while further investigation into the case is underway.