Millennium-old Narasimhi recovered from Oz gallery

Valued at H1.49 crore, idol was stolen from Cuddalore temple 15 years ago

CHENNAI: A 1,046-year-old Narasimhi idol has been recovered by the idol wing of the National Gallery of Australia (NGA). The idol, with an estimated value of `1.49 crore, was stolen from a temple in Virudhachalam 15 years ago.

This Narasimhi idol, stolen from a
Cuddalore temple in 2002, was recovered
from an Australian art gallery. It’s valued
at H1.49 crore | Ashwin Prasath

According to officials from the idol wing, a unit of the State Economic Offences wing, the theft came to light over 11 years after it was stolen in 2002, after revelations made by notorious art smuggler Subhash Kapoor. Following Kapoor’s arrest at the Frankfurt International Airport in 2011, a complaint was registered and investigations were carried out by idol theft IG Pon Manickavel. Vallabha Prakash and son Aditya were among the arrested.

Kapoor allegedly sold the Narasimhi to the NGA in Canberra, from where it was recovered, through Nimbus Export Import Inc. Investigations revealed that five other idols, including an Arthanareeswarar that was later recovered, was smuggled along with the Narasimhi.

Tracking the theft, officials said the idol was taken from a temple in Virudhachalam, Cuddalore, to Chennai following which it was taken to the USA via Mumbai before ultimately landing up in Canberra.
In the press meet, addressed by ADGP Pratip Phillip and Manickavel, officials told reporters that the punishment was the same as that for theft.

Officials said that punishment for theft was brought down some years ago to just 2-3 years from the 3-14 years awarded earlier. They added that they would write to their superiors seeking to reintroduce the earlier IPC section so as to enable them to seek 8-10-14 years for notorious idol traffickers.

While the worship of Narasimha, believed to be an avatar of Vishnu, to destroy the demon king Hiranyakashipu is common, the worship of Narasimhi, is relatively unknown. In Hindu mythology, Narasimhi is believed to be an incarnation to keep Narasimha’s fury under control.
Officials said the idol would now be sent to the icon centre in Nageswaran Koil in Kumbakonam.

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