Idol smuggler Deenadayalan dies of illness

CHENNAI: A notorious idol smuggler and art collector Deenadayalan, 83, died of ailments at his house in Venus Colony, Alwarpet on Wednesday. His last rites were performed on Thursday, sources in idol wing said.

Deenadayalan had started the Aparna art gallery at Alwarpet in 1958.

In the year 2016 based on a specific tip, idol wing team had seized over 830 artefacts, stone pillars, metal idols and art from his house and a godown near his house. Based on his confession, the police team recovered 254 more idols from various other places in the state. Despite the seizure of huge artefacts and antique idols, the idol wing CID police are yet to file the charge sheet against Deenadayalan.

Though Deenadayalan was arrested in the Palavoor idol theft case, later he became an approver in the case. He was allegedly linked international idol smuggler Subhash Kapoor.