Five idols were stolen 51 years ago at Nadanpureeswarar Sivan temple near Kumbakonam
Five idols were stolen 51 years ago at Nadanpureeswarar Sivan temple near Kumbakonam
Beginning an investigation into the theft of five idols from a Chola-era temple dating back to 51 years, idol wing CID police have now unearthed a statue of Parvati, listed for auction by Bonhams auction house in New York went.
Originally, the theft was committed on May 12, 1971, at the Nadanpureeswarar Sivan temple in Thandanthottam, for which a complaint was filed the next day at the Nachiarkoil police station. No FIR was registered till 2019 for theft of five ancient idols from the temple.
In 2019, the temple trustee who filed the complaint, K. Vasu said that he had seen the idols when he was in the temple for public worship and had not seen them after 1971. He gave details about the names and dimensions of each of these. When they saw five idols stolen, the locks of the temple were broken on the night of the incident, two trustees complained to the Nachiyar Koil police station. “Then the sub-inspector visited the temple, and I know that even after 48 years, no FLR has been registered in relation to the theft of these idols. This is painful and most unfortunate,” Mr. Vasu said in a statement. Said in the complaint made in 2019 to the then Special Officer Agpon Manikwell. The case was finally registered in 2019.
Director General of Police, Idol Wing CID, K. Jayant Murali said, “We sought the opinion of an expert, who was working as Deputy Superintendent Archaeologist in the state. He was of the opinion that the picture of the idol at the French Institute in Pondicherry and the Bonhams auction site But the idol of Parvati on sale is the same, which means that the idol of Parvati at Bonham is from the Nadanpureeswarar Shivan temple at Thandanthottam near Kumbakonam. Hence, we are entitled to claim the ownership of the idol as India is a side of UNESCO World Heritage Convention, 1972.”
“Now, the wing has taken steps to bring back the Parvati idol to India by proving the ownership through documents. We have also sought the assistance of the concerned authorities to bring back the idol. We will take steps to trace four more idols . which were stolen from here,” said Mr. Murali.