Centre hands over 10 stolen idols to Tamil Nadu

Tags: National State News

The central government has handed back 10 idols stolen from Tamil Nadu temples to the Tamil Nadu government.

• These idols were stolen from different places between 1960 to 2008.

• These sculptures were handed over by the US and Australia to the Union Ministry of Culture and Ministry of External Affairs in 2020, 2021, 2022.

• These idols were handed over to Tamil Nadu DGP C Shailendra Babu during an event in Delhi.

• Among the idols that have been returned are two idols of Dwarapal, which are from the 15-16th century; they were stolen from Tirunelvalli in 1994.

• Both the idols were handed over by Australia to India in 2020.

• Apart from this, two metal idols were stolen from Narsinghdhar Swamy temple in 1985, it has been handed over by America to India.

• A bronze statue of Lord Nataraja, an 11-12th century idol, was stolen from the Punnanallur Arulmigu Mariaman temple in 1966-77. It was kept in the Museum of New York.

• Apart from this, another bronze idol of Lord Shiva and Parvati was stolen from Vanamigandhar Swamy temple, this idol has been found from Indiana.

• In total, eight bronze and two stone sculptures have been returned. Six of the sculptures have been obtained from America and four from Australia.

• Idol Wing of Tamil Nadu 

•  It had been set up in 1983 to investigate cases of theft of idols. 

• It has retrieved 878 idols so far.