Chennai: Officials of the Tamil Nadu Idol Wing CID, Chennai seized three antique metal idols, valued at more than Rs two crore from an art gallery in the tourist spot of Mamallapuram.
Acting on reliable information that antique metal idols, intended to be illegally exported out of the country and were concealed in the premises of the art gallery, The Boutique, in Mamallapuram, the officials raided the premises and seized the idols., official sources said.
During the search three antique metal idols–an idol of Goddess Parvati Amman in standing posture, width 23 cm, height 97 cm, weight 26 kg, sitting posture Parvathi Idol width 20 cm, height 32 cm, weight 68 kg and dancing Siva Idol width 26 cm, height 35 cm, were found concealed, said a press release.
The art gallery personnel could not provide any legal and valid explanation nor any document for being in possession of these antique idols.
The idols are strongly suspected to be antiquities and were said to have been stolen from some Hindu temples in the State.
Hence, the above idols were seized by the Idol Wing CID police, the sources said.