Thanjavur (Tamil Nadu) [India], March 28 : Former Idol Wing Inspector General Pon Manickavel on Saturday strongly criticized the Tamil Nadu government for its alleged inaction in retrieving two ancient panchaloha idols stolen over 50 years ago from the historic Thirupazhanam Apatsahayeswarar Temple near Thiruvaiyaru in Thanjavur district.
Pon Manickavel stated that the temple, which is over 1,100 years old, had lost its Parvathi and Nataraja idols several decades ago. These idols, considered sacred and used for daily worship, were reportedly smuggled out of the country.
He claimed that the Parvathi idol has now surfaced in New York, US, where it is being displayed at the Sotheby's auction house with a price tag of ₹8 crore. Calling the auction illegal, he urged authorities to immediately halt the sale and initiate steps to bring the idol back to India.
Similarly, he claimed that the Nataraja idol from the same temple has been located at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, United Kingdom, where it is being exhibited.
Manickavel said, "He had already approached the Supreme Court of India regarding the issue and has now filed a fresh complaint at the Thiruvaiyaru police station seeking action on the missing idols."
He further alleged that around 83 idols have gone missing across Tamil Nadu, many of them likely stolen over 50 years ago, and accused both the current and previous state governments, as well as the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department, of neglecting the issue.
In a sharp remark, he claimed, "Tamil Nadu government has failed completely in acting on idol theft cases", adding that legal proceedings related to such cases are currently underway in the Supreme Court.