3 antique idols seized from art gallery in Mamallapuram

CHENNAI: Sleuths from the Idol Wing CID, Chennai seized three antique metal idols, worth more than Rs 2 crore from an art gallery in Mamallapuram near Chennai on Wednesday.

The sleuths received reliable information that antique metal idols, intended to be illegally exported out of the country, were concealed in the premises of the art gallery, The Boutique, in Mamallapuram and raid was carried out on Wednesday.

During the search 3 antique metal idols standing Parvati Amman Idol, width 23 cm, height 97 cm, weight 26 kg, sitting posture Parvathi Idol width 20 cm, height 32 cm, weight 68 kg and dancing Siva Idol width 26 cm, height 35 cm, were found concealed, said a press release.

The art gallery personnel could not provide any legal and valid explanation nor any document for being in possession of these antique idols. The idols are strongly suspected to be antiquities and are suspected to have been stolen from some Hindu temples in Tamil Nadu. Hence, the above idols were seized by the Idol Wing CID police.