Police retrieve idol in Ariyur during checks

VELLORE: A vehicle inspection undertaken by Ariyur police on the outskirts of Vellore town resulted in the detection and confiscation of a costly ‘panchaloha’ idol on Thursday.

The vehicle check was at Avarampalayam when police stopped a duo on a two-wheeler. A check of the vehicle revealed a bag containing curry leaves under which was hidden an 18-inch inch tall panchaloha idol of Sivakami Ammayar weighing slightly more than 5.50 kilos.

Police confiscated the idol and took the duo – identified as Kannan (41) and V Vincent raj (45) both of Tiruvannamalai – to the police station where under interrogation Vincentraj who is an electrician confessed that he discovered the idol when digging a pit for electrical work in the house of one Prabakaran of Tiruvannamalai. He said they were travelling to Sirpuram to sell the idol for Rs 1.50 crore.

Both were arrested and remanded to custody while an investigation into the antecedents of the statue and the related circumstances is underway.