Chennai, April 19 (IANS) The Idol Wing of Tamil Nadu Police is trying to trace three bronze idols stolen in 2012 from the Chola-era Vishnu temple in Ariyalur.

Idol Wing sleuths told IANS that after a long search, they retrieved a bronze idol of Lord Hanuman which was auctioned by Christie's to a private US citizen living in Australia at a price of $37,500.

That idol was also stolen in 2012 from the same temple.

The idol was first handed over to the High Commission of India in Canberra and then to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in New Delhi which finally passed it to the Idol Wing.

The three other stolen idols are that of Lord Varadaraja Perumal, Sridevi and Bhoodevi.

After unidentified men broke open the temple in 2012 and stole the idols, the local Sendurai police had conducted an investigation and later closed the case with the comment, "Undetected".

The Director General of Police has now handed over the case to the Idol Wing.

The Idol Wing officials told IANS that they are scouting through the websites of private and public museums, auction sites, collectors sites and many grey market sources to find the three missing idols.

--IANS

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