Two men peddling stolen idols in T.N. arrested, three idols seized

Idol Wing CID personnel posed as potential buyers to lure the seller in Sivaganga district; three idols of Sri Devi, Bhoodevi and Karuppasamy have been seized; the ASI has been asked to ascertain the idols’ provenance

Sleuths of the Idol Wing CID (IWCID) have arrested two persons for peddling stolen idols, suspected to be antiques, and have seized three idols from them.

Following a tip-of about a person in illegal possession of antique idols who was planning to sell them, senior officers of IWCID sent decoys as buyers, to ascertain the availability of the idols. After ascertaining that the idols were for sale, a special team conducted a search operation at the residence of P Veerapathiran of Mallal panchayat, Kalaiyar Koil, Sivagangai district, and the idols were seized.

The seller, Veerapathiran, was approached by IWCID personnel who posed as wealthy idol buyers on Saturday, but the seller kept insisting on the ‘buyers’ showing him they possessed ₹60 lakh first, before showing them the idols. So the team promised to return with the money the next day at a particular place in Manamadurai.

When the seller appeared there with idols the next morning, Sunday, he was arrested and idols of Sri Devi, Bhoodevi and Karuppasamy were seized.

Veerapathiran had received the idols from an individual, Bose of Sundara Nadappu village, and he had concelaed themin a discreet corner of his house. Bose had sourced the idols and handed them over to Veerapathiran for selling, Bose, who was working at a mutton shop, was arrested by a police team in Madurai.

Both the accused were sent for remand on Tuesday. The properties seized will be produced for inspection by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to ascertain their antiquity. A requisition is also being sent to the Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department to assign the idols to the temple from where they may have been stolen.

An investigation is on to find out where Bose acquired the idols from, the temple to which they may belong and also the perpetrators who may have committed the theft, said Idol Wing officials.