The Idol Wing of the State police recovered two ancient bronze idols of emperor Raja Raja Chola I and his royal consort Lokamadevi believed to be worth over ₹150 crore from the Calico Museum and Sarabhai Foundation galleries in Ahmedabad.
Inspector General of Police A.G.Ponn Manickavel told The Hindu , “These two idols were taken away 60 years ago and sold for several crores of rupees through Rao Bahadur Srinivasa Gopalachery, a native of Sarukkai village near Kapisthalam, to Gowtham Sarabhai.”
The Idol Wing began investigation into theft and misappropriation of rare idols from the Big Temple last March. Deputy Superintendent of Police Venkatraman formally filed a complaint with the Thanjavur West police station.
The police team recorded the evidence of octogenarians, who had seen the rare idols 60 years ago, before proceeding to recover the idols kept at the Calico Museum and the Sarabhai Foundation galleries in Ahmedabad. The police officials reached the museum in Gujarat and informed them that they were the property of Big Temple. Now they are bringing it back to Tamil Nadu.
According to inscriptions, Raja Raja Chola donated 66 idols to the Big Temple, the police said. Notable among them were Kolgai Devar and Shetra Balar, made of gold, and four silver idols of Vasudevar.
These two were among the 13 idols donated by one of the lieutenants of Raja Raja Chola. The other 11 are missing, the police said. Mummidi Chola Brammarayan, another lieutenant, donated a huge panchaloha idol of Arthanariswarar to the temple, they added.
“Most of the ancient icons were stolen and the HR and CE officials suppressed the crime so far without bringing it to the notice of the police. Our investigation revealed that the ancient idols were replaced with non-antique idols,” said a police officer, who is part of the investigating team.
