Tamilnadu Idol Wing CID(IWCID) Chief Shailesh Kumar Yadav led a delegation to Singapore to retrieve more than half a dozen idols that were reportedly stolen from the State and displayed at the prestigious museum in the country. The delegation is at present camping in Singapore and holding discussions with their counterparts there.
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IW CID Chief and Additional Director General of Police Shailesh Kumar Yadav told The Hindu, “ We have made a claim on 16 antique idols which are on display at the Singapore Museum. The Government of Singapore and their heritage board have invited us for bilateral discussions. In pursuance of that, we are visiting as a delegation comprising officers of Idol Wing CID, Archaeological Survey of India(ASI), Union Ministry of Culture and others. We present relevant evidence and case-related documents on those antiques. We are taking all possible efforts to retrieve it.”
Last June, the special unit of the police released details of 12 antique metal idols and artefacts that were traced in Asian Civilisations Museum, Singapore and appealed to the public to share information on the source of the temples in the state and also announced rewards for informants.
In June, the Idol Wing Officers got credible information from the Singapore side and traced these idols that are displayed at the museum. They were recorded as having been purchased from 1993 to 2000 from unknown antique dealers. In connection with this, the Idol Wing CID Police registered a case and took up the matter for further investigation.
The list of idols and artefacts are Somaskandar, Sambandar, Standing Ganesa and Hanuman, a sculpture of Ramunuja, a Garuda, a Garuda Mount, a standing Buddha- which were panchaloha metals, gold breastplates of a male deity and a female deity, Vishnu, Subramanya, Nandhi, Bhikshatana, Ayyanar- stone idols and peacock vehicle. EOM