MADURAI
A metal idol of Lord Vinayaka, brought by a couple from France bound to Colombo, was seized at Madurai airport on Monday.
The couple – Lemevel (74) and Fabry ((60), who had come to India in January – had toured Mysore, Munnar and Kochi. When they came to board a SriLankan Airlines flight to Colombo, the airline staff found the idol and alerted the Customs officials.
The Customs officials detained them and conducted an inquiry with them. Meanwhile, Idol Wing police were also alerted and a team of officials, led by Deputy Superintendent of Police V. Malaichamy, inspected the idol, weighing around 4.6 kg and measuring about one foot in height.
Sources said the French couple claimed that they bought the idol at an art gallery in Kochi on January 30. However, the Customs officials could not allow them to carry the idol without knowing whether it was an antique or non-antique idol, the sources said.
Only after a clearance from Archaeological Survey of India, the idol would be allowed to be taken out of the country, they added.
