Tamil Nadu police retrieve stolen antique idol, arrest two men

TRICHY: The idol wing CID of the Tamil Nadu police has recovered a stolen antique Anjaneya idol belonging to the Thenupuriswarar temple at Patteeswaram in Thanjavur district.

The police arrested two men -- S Neelakantan, 30 of Tirutani in Tiruvallur district and his accomplice V Manikandan, 32 of Anaikattu in Vellore district -- in connection with the theft.

The idol was stolen on October 20, 2019. The Pattteeswaram police registered a case. The case was transferred to the idol wing CID on October 5, 2020. Since there was no progress in the investigation, idol wing CID led by director general of police (DGP) K Jayanth Murali reviewed the case and formed a new team under additional superintendent of police G Balamurugan a couple of months ago

Sub-inspector Thandayuthapani and the team started the investigation afresh. The team analysed 2019 CCTV footage from the temple which had already been secured by the police.

They came across the suspicious movements of two men and launched a search them.

On December 22, a man resembling one of the suspects was picked up from the Kumbakonam bypass and questioned. The man, Neelakantan, confessed to having stolen the idol with the help of Manikandan. The police arrested Manikandan on Friday.

The special team searched the residence of Neelakantan and recovered the 300-year-old antique. An expert said the idol had been installed in the 1,000 years old Thenupuriswarar temple by the Nayaka kings.