3 held for smuggling idols worth Rs 5 crore

Idol wing police IG Pon Manickavel led a team to Aravatla village near Pernambut following information that a gang was ready to smuggle expensive panchaloha idols.

The cops, some in disguise, accosted the smugglers acting as buyers for the idols and had a meeting with them, following which they were asked to meet near the Bungalowmedu forest rest house.

However, on arriving, the smugglers turned suspicious and took to their heels after locking their car, on Sunday afternoon. The cops chased the crooks and nabbed two persons identified as Iswaran (50) and Arumugam (38) of Aravatla. Police broke the glass panes of the car and seized the three idols they found inside the car.

While Iswaran was caught immediately, Arumugam locked himself inside the toilet of a house nearby. Police barged into the house and explained matters to the owners who then helped the cops capture Arumugam.

Based on information provided by the culprits, the police also arrested Gurusamy (27) of Agaramcheri village near Ambur on Sunday night. All three were remanded by a local court on Monday.

Police investigations revealed that the seized idols belonged to a temple at Poomalai village near Ambur. The statues were thereafter kept on display for public view. A special team headed by Gudiyattam DSP Prakash Babu was formed to nab five other idol smugglers who are still at large.