Two held for trying to sell 600-year-old idol

The Delhi Police on Monday claimed to have recovered a 600-year-old Nataraja idol,worth around Rs 5 crore in the international market,from two persons who were allegedly trying to sell it.

Bhuwan Chand Joshi (54) of Gurgaon and Pradeep (27) of Jhajhar in Haryana were arrested from near Vikas Sadan in South Delhis Kotla Mubarakpur on Sunday following a tip-off. Police recovered the antique statue and seized a car the two were using to move around in,said Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) H G S Dhaliwal.

The 15.5-kg idol is 19 inches high and made of ashtadatu (an alloy of eight metals). Experts at the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) have certified that it is worth more than Rs 5 crore.

It came to light during interrogation that the idol was kept in the residence of Pradeep for several years and he and his family were not aware that it was an antique. Sometime ago,Joshi visited Pradeeps residence and after noticing the idol told him that it is an antique. He urged Pradeep to sell it, said Dhaliwal. Pradeep took the statue without the knowledge of his family members and had been trying to sell it for the past 15 to 20 days, he added.

A case under relevant sections of Antiquities and Art Treasurers Act,1972 has been registered.

The idol was sent to the ASI to estimate its age.

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