NEW DELHI: The Delhi Police have cracked the high-profile theft of a 50-million-year-old gastropod fossil from the India International Trade Fair (IITF), arresting a 49-year-old man in connection with the crime.
The accused, identified as Manoj Kumar Mishra, a resident of Sector 22, Noida, is employed at a hotel in Noida and is a regular visitor to the trade fair due to his interest in various art forms.
The stolen artifact, a gastropod fossil weighing 1 kg, was displayed at the Geological Survey of India (GSI) stall in the Ministry of Mines pavilion in Hall No. 4.
Gastropods, snail-like and slug-like invertebrates, are among the most common fossil types, with over 15,000 prehistoric species identified.
According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (IITF) Sumit Kumar Jha, the theft was reported on November 21 by staff from the GSI.
Following the complaint, a case under relevant sections of the law was registered, and an investigation was launched.
The investigation involved analysing footage from over 100 CCTV cameras across the incident site and surrounding areas. "Through technical analysis, the accused was identified and traced to Sector 22, Noida." Jha said.
A police team subsequently conducted a raid and apprehended Mishra.
During sustained interrogation, he confessed to the theft, and the stolen gastropod fossil was recovered along with the entry ticket he had used to access the trade fair.
Mishra revealed that he had stolen the fossil intending to sell it at a high price. However, a background check confirmed that he had no previous criminal record.
Further investigations are underway to ascertain if Mishra had any associates or connections with buyers in the illegal antiquities market.