TN temple officials see if seized idols match stolen ones

To ascertain if the idols stolen from temples in the past matched with those seized recently after an illegal antique trade was busted, temple officials and authorities of the State Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments department today inspected the idols which are now under police custody.
Temple officials and priests from various temples, including Tiruvarur and Vellore districts and the HR and CE authorities, inspected the idols here at the residence of the racket's suspected kingpin Deenadayalan.
HR and CE authorities had apprised temple officials of the huge cache of ancient stone and metal sculptures seized by police and asked them to inspect the idols to see if they matched with stolen artifacts.

It is not immediately known if the seized idols matched with those stolen from temples in the past.
Idol wing police had on May 31 busted the idol smuggling gang, arrested three persons and seized antique sculptures said to be worth over Rs 50 crore from Deenadayalan's house here.
Following raids in his house and godowns, more than 250 stone sculptures and metal idols, including bronze, and over 156 antique paintings were seized, following which Deenadayalan had surrendered before police.
Besides a team of Archaeological Survey of India officials and eminent archaeologist and former Director of Tamil Nadu Archaeology Department R Nagaswamy inspected the siezed idols.

After inspecting the sculptures and idols, Nagaswamy had said, "on the whole, all stone and bronze sculptures belong to the Chola period.