THANJAVUR: A joint commissioner and an executive officer (EO) of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR and CE) Department were arrested in the early hours of Thursday by the idol wing police in connection with the six missing bronze idols from the Pasupatheeswarar temple near Pandanallur.
The temple, over 1,000 years old, is a depository for bronze idols of temples located in 73 villages nearby. When an audit was conducted in 2013, it was found that six bronzes were missing. Pandanallur police and later the idol wing police in August registered a case against 10 officials of the HR and CE Department under various sections.
A team of idol wing police on Thursday arrested T Gajendran (56), joint commissioner of HR and CE in Mayiladuthurai and K Kamaraj (46), executive officer of the temple (since suspended). They have been sent to judicial custody till December 7.