The Idol Wing CID Police of Tamil Nadu Police has traced two stolen antique idols- Yoganarasimha and Ganesha - belonging to Venugopala Swamy Temple, Alathur in Tiruvarur district to Nelson - Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.A. They were suspected to be stolen fifty years ago and replaced with replicas.
In 2017, S. Nagarajan, Inspector, Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment, Mannargudi, lodged a complaint to the Vikrapandiyam Police Station, Thiruvarur District, alleging burglary of three antique metal idols - Vishnu, Sridevi and Bhudevi belonging to Venugopala Swamy Temple which were kept at Viswanatha Swamy Temple in the same village for safe custody. He further stated that a few remaining idols were handed over to the Thiruvarur Icon Centre for safe custody.
He requested the recovery of the antique idols of Vishnu, Sridevi, and Bhudevi metal idols which were stolen around 50 years back. Based on his complaint, a case was registered at Vikrapandiyam police station, and the case was taken up for investigation by the Idol Wing CID.
