The Hindu : Idol-smuggling racket busted

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Mar 05, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu

Idol-smuggling racket busted

By Our Staff Reporter

VILLUPURAM MARCH 4. The Thirunavalur police have busted an idol-smuggling racket, arresting five persons, one of whom allegedly had links with the LTTE, near here.

According to police sources, following receipt of a complaint that some idols had been stolen from the Mazhai Mariamman temple at Vandipalayam, a police team intercepted a van on National Highway 45 on Sunday night. All five occupants — Balu alias S. Balasingh (35), Selvam alias Paya alias T. Selvaraj (32), R. Balamurugan (29), B. Murugan (32) and Mani alias P. Pitchaimani (40)— were arrested. Balasingh of Athikulam in Maduri district was an accused in two cases of supply of materials including fuel and wire to the LTTE.

The accused admitted that they had stolen the idols of Durgai Amman and Pushpakalai from the temple. After hiding the idols in a thorny bush near a railway gate at Parikkal, they planned to lift more idols from other temples for smuggling to foreign countries, the sources said.

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