CHENNAI: The Idol Wing CID seized seven Chola-era idols and two Thanjavur paintings from a house in RA Puram on Thursday. The owner did not have proper documents. Some of the idols had markings and slots for fixing on temple palanquins and for carrying them during festive occasions, a press note from the Idol Wing CB-CID said.
The press note said a tip-off was received that several antique bronze idols and paintings were kept at a house of an NRI. The CID could not conduct a search as the owner was living abroad. They contacted him and gave him a week to provide documents that would attest to the idols’ provenance, antiquity, and registration if they were antique. The owner said he had no idea where the idols came from because his parents had them even before he was born.
Then, on his own accord, he told the Idol Wing police to take possession of the idols and paintings. The idols were seized and an investigation was started to trace their origins.
The seized idols and paintings are Krishna statue, Parvati statue, Buddha statue, Parvati statue in a sitting position, Goddess statue, Tara statue, Buddha statue, Balakrishna painting with glass frame and Krishna Yashala painting with glass frame. The Idol Wing CID will produce the idols for ASI inspection and a report will be sent to HR&CE.
2 die as lorry topples
Chennai: Two people were killed and three others were injured after a lorry fell into a pit near Tambaram early on Friday. According to Tambaram traffic police, the deceased were identified as Siva Reddy and Varadharaju, who were travelling on top of the load that the lorry was carrying. ENS