Ancient manuscripts, idols seized from Chennai shop

Tamil Nadu police Idol Wing sleuths seized idols of Nataraja, Krishna and 11 bundles of ancient manuscripts containing Buddhist inscriptions from an art emporium in Alwarpet on Friday.

A search operation was conducted on Thursday night at the premises of Cottage Arts Emporium located on TTK Road, Alwarpet after a tip-off. Two Nataraja metallic idols and another one of Krishna along with 11 bundles of ancient manuscripts containing Buddhist inscriptions were seized. 

“The country of origin of the manuscript and language are under verification. But they are definitely antique in nature,” noted ADGP Jayanth Murali, Idol Wing.

The officials said the artefacts were concealed in the basement of the shop. The proprietors of the shop had no papers and were yet to reveal the origin of the items. 

The Idol Wing has sought the opinion of the ASI and efforts are also on to find out which temples the idols may have belonged to and the country of origin of the manuscripts. 

An expert who inspected the idols said that except the one feet metallic idol of Nataraja, the remaining ones and the manuscripts are antique and are worth several crores of rupees in the international market.