The Idol Wing CID, with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations, U.S., has traced a stone idol of Lord Murugan, which was stolen from a 7th Century Pallava-era temple at Thachur in Kallakurichi district and smuggled into the United States.
Additional Director-General of Police (ADGP), Idol Wing, Shailesh Kumar Yadav, told The Hindu that the Idol Wing CID launched an investigation on a complaint preferred by S. Periyasamy. According to the complainant, the ancient Shiva temple had 13 stone idols of various deities. Much of the temple was destroyed during invasions by Malik Kafur and other Mughal kings. Portions of the structure had disintegrated, and were buried. However, some of the idols were lying on the ground. In 1998, the villagers resumed worship of the idols in the dilapidated temple. The idol of Lord Murugan was stolen from there in 2000. However, no complaint was lodged at the time.
On hearing about the recovery and restitution of three idols which had been stolen from Adhikesava Perumal Temple in Ulundurpet, Mr. Periyasamy lodged a complaint on August 3 and urged the Idol Wing to trace the idol stolen from the temple in Thachur.
On the orders of Mr. Yadav, a team took up the investigation. The officers visited the temple and inquired with the villagers. They perused a book called Thadayam, which provided clues about the temple and the idols.
Mr. Yadav said: “After conducting a search online, analysing the information from the old case files and comparing the photograph of the Murugan idol with a list of idols confiscated by Homeland Security Investigations, U.S., we were able to trace the idol that was stolen from the temple. A thorough investigation is being conducted with the help of Homeland Security Investigations, and action will be taken to retrieve the stone idol of Lord Murugan by filing a request under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty with the U.S. through the Union Ministries of Home and External Affairs.”
