Another antique idol traced to USA

CHENNAI: An antique idol of Veenadhara Dakshinamurthy, which was found missing during a security audit by Idol Wing CID team at Veeratteswarar temple, under the administration of Darumapuram Atheenam Mutt in Korukkai village of Mayiladuthurai, has been traced to Cleveland Museum USA.

During a security audit by ADSP G Balamurugan and his team at the temple two weeks back, all the 39 metal idols available in the temple were compared with the photo images of metal idols belonging to this temple, which were obtained from IFP-Pondicherry.

During the comparison, one Veenadhara Dakshinamurthy metal idol is not matched with IFP photo image.

In this juncture, a discreet enquiry was conducted by the special team to trace the idol.

Enquiry revealed that the Veenadhara Dhakshinamurthy was stolen by some antique thieves and it could have been smuggled to abroad and one metal idol of a Kalyana sundareswarar was used as replacement.

Idol Wing CID has conducted a web search in the museum's exhibits in India and abroad and found that the stolen idol was in the Cleveland Museum in the USA.

Sailesh Kumar Yadav ADGP, idol wing in a press note claimed that steps are being taken to bring back the idol, a cultural heritage, to the people of Tamil Nadu.