HC grants permission to shift Keezhadi artefacts to Dehradun

In the petition filed by Kanimozhi Mathi against transporting of the artefacts to Bengaluru Research Centre, the court had granted an interim stay on shifting about 5300 artefacts which were excavated during the second phase of the site. But it was relaxed as the ASI was allowed to take the needed artefacts to its laboratories for conducting the examinations. However, the court questioned the ASI as to why such examinations could not be conducted in the Chennai lab.

When the petition was heard on Thursday, Keezha di site’s Superintending Archaeologist filed a report claiming that since the Chennai lab does not have adequate advanced facilities the ASI has decided to conduct the examinations at the Dehradun lab. Regarding the question of establishing a museum at Keezhadi the officials claimed that the matter could be decided only after finding the historical value of the excavation sites. 

Following the argument, the Division bench said that the court could not compel the ASI to conduct the examinations at its Chennai lab as it had cited technical reasons and so they can take the artefacts to any desired lab. But when it plans to take the artefacts to the labs it should intimate in advance to the state archaeological department commissioner who should be present at the site and should photograph, videograph and document the artefacts which are to be shifted. 

The judges also claimed that another 1800 artefacts (excavated during the first phase) which were already shifted to the Bengaluru Research Centre should also be documented by the Commissioner. The judges also directed the ASI to file another report on February 7, 2017.