Police have arrested four people including a couple over the theft of gold ornaments from idols at two temples in the capital and one in Narayanganj.

The arrestees are Lipi Karmakar, 29, and her husband Arnab Roy Dipta, 30, and two jewellery shop owners- Md Muhin, 37, and Zakaria Islam.

Joint Commissioner (Crime) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Md Faruk Hossain disclosed the information at a press briefing at the DMP Media Centre on Minto Road on Tuesday afternoon.

The couple visited different temples and stole gold ornaments from idols before selling them to jewellery shops, police said.

They stole gold from the tongue of the idol of Goddess Kali at Ramna Kali Temple in Dhaka.

Subsequent interrogation revealed their involvement in a similar theft at Siddheshwari Kali Temple in the capital and the theft of a gold chain from Loknath Ashram in Narayanganj, police said.

They were arrested from Dobadia area under Uttarkhan Police Station on Sunday morning.

Faruk Hossain said the gold was stolen from the tongue of Kali idol at Ramna Kali Temple under Shahbagh Police Station between around 8:45am and 4pm on October 7. The stolen gold weighed approximately six annas.

Following a complaint filed by temple priest Sujit Chakraborty with Shahbagh Police Station, police reviewed CCTV footage and identified the suspects.

Faruk said the two were sent to court after their arrest and they confessed to the offences before a magistrate under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

Based on their statements, police arrested Md Muhin, owner of Sadia Jewellers under Dakshinkhan Police Station, and recovered a gold sheet.

Police also found the couple's involvement in the theft of gold from Siddheshwari Kali Temple on September 13, for which a separate case was filed with Ramna Police Station.

Gold stolen from that temple was subsequently recovered based on information provided by the couple, and Zakaria Islam was arrested in connection with the case for purchasing the stolen gold.