Seven arrested for possession of Chola-era idol in Thanjavur

The officers of the Idol Wing CID (IWCID) have arrested seven persons for their alleged possession of a stolen Chola-era idol worth ₹2 crore in Thanjavur.

The officers of the Idol Wing CID (IWCID) have arrested seven persons for their alleged possession of a stolen Chola-era idol worth ₹2 crore in Thanjavur.

On receiving a tip-off, the officers of the Thanjavur Range Idol Wing unit conducted a vehicle check on the Thanjavur-Tiruchi National Highway on Thursday (August 8, 2024), during which they came across a car and two two-wheelers parked at Melathiruvizha Patti.

The police checked the car, which had five passengers, and found an antique 2.5-feet metal perumal idol.

The arrested persons included J. Rajendran, 52, of Arumbakkam, S. Rajkumar, 36, of Kumbakonam Taluk, and A. Dinesh, 28, of Inam Kiliyur.

Mr. Dinesh, who was one of the passengers in the car, told the police that his father chanced upon the idol 12 years ago beside a river in Thozhuvur, which he later hid in his cattle shed.

After his father’s death, Mr. Dinesh and his associates reportedly decided to sell the idol to prospective buyers abroad.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the idol dated back to the Chola period. The officers are also investigating whether the idol was stolen from a temple in Tamil Nadu, the IWCID said.