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MANGALURU: The Dakshina Kannada police on Saturday arrested five persons who, in search of hidden treasure, had recently bound the inmates of a house and dug up the premises for two hours and returned empty-handed. 
 The incident had occured in the Vittal police station limits. Among the five arrested, three belong to the same locality where the incident took place on January 23. The arrested persons have been identified as Iqbal, 22, resident of Kanyana; Mohammad Ali, 29, resident of Karopady village; Abbas, 26, Mandyur house; Ashraf, 21, resident of Kolnad and Ashique P, 19, resident of Paivalike, in Kasargod district. Police have recovered two cars from them. Seven others involved in this crime are absconding.

 Police added the miscreants had arrived in two cars at the house of Vighnaraj Bhat at 2 am, on night of January 23 and asked Bhat to show the ’nidhi’ that was hidden in their compound. To their query, Vighnaraj and his nephew Vikyath, who was at home, said that there is no such treasure in their house and asked them to leave. Suddenly, the gangmembers, who had covered their faces with masks, tied them both with ropes and dumped them in a corner. After that, the gang started digging the ground in the compound. They dug up the ground for two hours till 4am and left the premises after realizing that there was no treasure hidden.

 Police added that Iqbal, Mohammad Ali and Abbas had believed the rumour in the village that for the past 40 years, Vighnaraj’s father Ganapathy had found a treasure in his house but left it unattended as per the suggestion of an astrologer, who reportedly told him that it would bring bad luck to his family if he touches the ’nidhi’. Acting on that "information", to make quick bucks, the gang planned to take away ’treasure’ but it turned out be an exercise in futility.

 The gang had hired two vehicles from Kerala to committ the crime and they were arrested near Saletthur on Saturday. Police added that based on certain details, they have managed to arrest the gang members.

 According to police, Iqbal and Mohammad Ali are from criminal backgrounds and have past crime records. Iqbal was accused in a kidnap case of a girl in 2015, murder of Bayikatte Asif and also, murder of Ganesh Shetty at district sub-jail in Mangaluru, last year. Mohammad Ali is an accused in riot and kidnap in 2011, murder of Bayikatte Asif and robbery in South police station.