Damaged panchaloha idol seized from man

A damaged 'panchaloha' idol was seized today from a man during a vehicle check in the border area of the district, police said.
However, its exact value and the period to which the idol belonged could be ascertained only after examination by experts, they said.
Police said the man tried to give them the slip during a check carried out to prevent smuggling of liquor from Puducherry to Tamil Nadu. A search of his bag revealed the damaged idol.
They said investigations showed the man was acting at the behest of two idol smugglers who had ordered him to carry it from Mannargudi in the district and hand it over to a person in Chennai.

A professional involved in stealing and selling idols was also involved in the theft of the idol, they said.