Antique idols recovered

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE, SEPT. 30. The Central Police have recovered three antique ivory idols worth over Rs.10 lakhs by arresting a coffee estate owner from Madikeri in Kodagu District.

Following a tip off that a bearded man carrying some antique idols in a bag was waiting for customers on the Tipu Sultan Palace lawns, a police team nabbed the man at about 3.30 p.m. on Friday.

Police frisked him and found that he was in possession of three ivory idols. An idol weighing 300 g belonging to the ancient Portuguese regime and two idols weighing 1 kg and 830 g respectively, dating back to ancient China were recovered from the man.

The Department of Handicrafts has estimated the value of idols to be more than Rs.10 lakhs. Such idols are only found in archaeological museums, police said.

The name of the arrested person was given as Subbaiah (37), a coffee estate owner from Baadaga village, off Moornadu, in Madikeri taluk of Kodagu District.

The arrest was made by a police team led by the Assistant Commissioner of Police (Chamarajpet), Mr. B.M.Uttaiah, the Central Police Station Inspector, Mr. H.Subbanna.

Police said that during interrogation Subbaiah had claimed that the rare and antique idols were given to him by K.T.Babu of Kerala.

Babu reportedly owed huge money to Subbaiah and was not in a position to pay it. Thus he had given him the idols and asked him to sell them and keep the money for himself, police said. Police are on the look out for Babu who is absconding.

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