Stolen antique temple idols repatriated from the USA to Tamil Nadu

Police said that besides the two idols, 20 statues that had been stolen in Tamil Nadu have been recovered from abroad so far while over 40 statues are yet to be recovered.

Madurai: Two 11th-century idols stolen in 1985 from Narasinganathar Temple in the Alwarkurichia area of Tamil Nadu's Tenkasi District have been recovered from the New York City Museum in the United States, police said.Idol Smuggling Prevention Unit DGP, Jayant Murali, and Idol Smuggling Prevention Unit IG, Dinakaran made the revelation at a presser in Madurai on Friday.

They said the case of the stealth of the two Panchaloh idols-Gangala Nathar and Adhikara Nandi-had been closed in 1986 after police failed to find any clues. However, the case has come back to the limelight after the idols were traced in the US. Police said that besides the two idols, 20 statues that had been stolen in Tamil Nadu have been recovered from abroad so far while over 40 statues are yet to be recovered.

A maximum of 10 statues have been recovered in the last year alone. Most of the statues have been smuggled to the US, UK, and Australia, police said. It said that steps are being taken to recover the emerald Lingam in Madurai. The case of the missing peacock statues at Mylapore Kabaliswarar Temple is in the final stages of the investigation.

Pertinently, a survey of precious and valuable idols in Tamil Nadu is currently underway. As per police, around Rs.1 lakh is spent to recover each idol from abroad. Subhash Kapoor, who has already been arrested in connection with the idol smuggling case in Tamil Nadu, has been booked in a total of five cases and is in jail.