Four ancient idols which were stolen from couple of temples in Ariyalur district and returned to India from the United States of America were produced before a court in Kumbakonam in Thanjavur district on Thursday.
The Idol Wing CID of Tamil Nadu Police which took meticulous efforts in getting back the prized artefacts from the United States produced the antique idols before the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Baskaran.
The height and weight of the idols were measured and the Magistrate thereafter issued an order to keep the idols in safe custody at the Icon Centre in Nageswara Swamy temple in Kumbakonam. The idols were later kept at the Icon Centre. The idols recovered by the Idol Wing CID were that of Sri Chakkrathazhwar, Goddess Bhoodevi, Lord Ganesa and that of saint Manicka Vasagar. While the Chakkrathazhwar and Bhoodevi idols were stolen from the Sri Varadaraja Perumal temple at Suthamalli village, the other two idols were stolen from the Sri Brahadeewarar Temple at Sripuranthan.
The Chakkarathazhwar and Bhoodevi idols were smuggled out of the country and kept at the Art of the Past gallery that was run by international art dealer Subhash Chandra Kapoor – the alleged mastermind and the prime accused behind the smuggling of several idols from Ariyalur district in 2008.
The Idol Wing CID had sent two letter rogatory to the United States seeking the return of the stolen idols smuggled from the two temples in Ariyalur district, said police sources.
After being smuggled out, the idol of Lord Ganesa was kept at a museum in Ohio, while the idol of Manicka Vasagar was bought by unknown private collector of that country. All the four idols were made of panchaloha, said the sources.
Prior to being produced before a court in Kumbakonam, the four idols were brought to the villages in Ariyalur district on Wednesday where the villagers and the priests identified the artefacts, said a senior police officer of the Idol Wing CID. The sources said 28 idols were in all stolen from Ariyalur district a few years ago of which six were retrieved from United States, Singapore and Australia.
