Two held with antique panchaloha idols worth Rs 2 crore
CID sleuths from the Idol Wing have seized two antique panchaloha idols worth Rs 2 crore from a house in Virudachalam and arrested two suspects – Magimaidass and Pachaimuthu of Virudhachalam.
They received information from an informant in Cuddalore that few persons were in possession of stolen antique idols of Goddess Mariammam with five-headed serpent (1¾ feet tall) and Lord Perumal (1 ft tall), which were stashed away and hidden in Magimaidass’s house at Virudhachalam, a press release said.
Further reliable inputs pointed out that the suspects had been concealing these antique metal idols, with the intent to either sell or smuggle them out of the country and were in the lookout for prospective buyers.
The Idol Wing, while carrying out, an undercover operation to arrest the suspects and seize the idols, posed as affluent idol collectors looking for antiques. The disguised cops contacted the smugglers, during which the latter quoted a price of Rs 2 crore for the idols available in their custody.
After a great deal of persuasion and convincing, Mahimaidass met the decoys, during which the party apprehended him and recovered the two metal idols.
During the ensuing interrogation, Mahimaidass revealed that Pachamuthu and a few others had stolen the idols from an ancient temple. He had intended to sell them to any prospective buyers from inside or outside the country.
Subsequently, Pachamuthu was arrested at Kodumudi in Erode based on information from Mahimaidass. Police are still looking for more suspects, including Muruganandam, in the case.
Investigation is underway to find the temple from which the idols were stolen and to zero in on its antiquity.