The idol unit of the Economic Offenses Wing of the State police on Friday busted a gang while they were attempting to sell stolen idols worth nearly Rs. 5 crore.
Four men were arrested and two idols of Vishnu and Buddha were seized.
Sleuths of the EOW received information that a gang that had smuggled Panchaloha idols was striking a deal in a city hotel. The suspects identified as John (35) and Shivalingam (44) of Bangalore met Rajesh (29) of Saidapet and Devaraj (30) of Kolathur .
A search revealed the Bangalore duo was in possession of a 1.5-foot-tall Vishnu statue and a 25-cm Buddha statue. John and Shivalingam had stolen the idols from the Raja Kaliamman temple in Dhimbum and were planning to sell the idols for over Rs. 50 lakh. Investigators suspect that the idols are over 500 years old.
