MAYILADUTHURAI: A 75-year-old temple priest was arrested by the idol wing of police department and for possessing two metal idols here in Nemmeli village near Sirkazhi on Wednesday. The suspect, identified as N Suriyamurthy, hid the idols at Shri Visalakshi Viswanathar Temple in Nemmeli village, one among a few temples where he work. The idols recovered are that of Shri Pradoshanayagar and Shri Pradoshanayagi.
The team of idol wing officials ADSP R Rajaram and sub inspectors S Tamilselvan, P Balachandran and M Chinnathurai chanced upon the priest during an investigation into the missing of four other idols - Shri Nallakaathaayi, Shri Kanjamalaeeswarer, Shri Vinayaka and Shri Anjaneyar - from Shri Nallakaathaayi Temple in Mannankoil some four decades ago.
ADSP R Rajaram told TNIE Suriyamurthy and his father, Natesan, had been working with a few temples near Sirkazhi and that the duo had brought many idols from Nallakaathaayi temple to their house under the pretext of keeping them safe.
“When the villagers started demanding them to bring back the idols to the temple, they returned a few,” he said, adding that Natesan passed away in 2003. The ADSP said Suriyamurthy was planning to sell the idols of Shri Pradoshanayagar and Shri Pradoshanayagi idols, together weighing three kilogrammes for a crores of rupees.