CHENNAI: Five days after three precious panchaloha idols, worth crores of rupees in the international market, were stolen from a temple at a village in Cuddalore district, sleuths of the CID Idol Wing, posing as idol smugglers trapped a four-member gang in the city on Monday.
Arresting the quartet, they recovered the three idols that were looted from the Draupadi Amman temple near Vallam village in Cuddalore district.
Officials said they were constantly on the move around the city in a car tracking the quartet carrying the idols. The idols of Draupadi Amman, Amman and Lord Vishnu - are believed to be worth crores of rupees in the international market. A police officer said the gang members agreed to sell the idols for `20 lakh to the personnel posing as prospective buyers, and had come to Chennai to show the idols before sealing the deal. “They were moving near CMBT bus terminus when our team surrounded and nabbed them,” said a police officer.
The arrested were identified as Arumugam (31), Siva alias Kannadi (27), Selvam alias Chellakannu (35), and Senthil alias Senthil Kumar (45), all hailing from Panrutti in Cuddalore district.
A car and two motorcycles were also seized from them.