5 antique idols seized from popular art gallery in city
The Hindu
Two of its employees have been arrested, search launched for the owner
The Idol Wing CID has seized five antique idols from a luxury life store and art gallery located on Nungambakkam High Road and its departmental store from Thanjavur on charges of illegal possession and alleged involvement in attempting to sell them to the tune of ₹110 crore. The police also arrested two of the gallery staff and launched a search for the owner. Following credible information, the Additional Director General of Police, Idol Wing CID, K. Jayanth Murali, deputed a special team of police personnel to conduct a search at Cottage Industries Exposition Pvt. Ltd., Nungambakkam High Road. On searching the premises, the team found that the gallery was selling antique idols illegally.
Mr. Jayanth Murali told The Hindu, “We have conducted a thorough search and seized a Nataraja idol, which is 1,000 years old. A lot of sale documents were seized from there. Our investigation led to its branch in Thanjavur and also the seizure of two more antique idols, used in the temples of east Asian countries. They are worth around ₹60 crore.”
Idol Wing CID, Tiruchi, seized the two antique idols of Vishnu with eight hands that were hidden at Saga Departmental Store, Keelaraja Veedhi, Thanjavur.