The arrest of one exporter, trying to smuggle an antique idol of Lord Vishnu at Bangalore Airport has exposed that some criminals still indulge in illegally exporting antique idols in other countries.

As per reports a Tamil Nadu-based exporter, who attempted to export an antique bronze idol of the Lord Vishnu that is said to be more than a hundred years old, to Malaysia, has been arrested and remanded to judicial custody.

According to a newsagency, based on specific intelligence, the officers of Customs Intelligence Unit (CIU), Bengaluru Airport, and Air Cargo Commissionerate, intercepted a shipment in the International Courier Terminal that was attempted to be exported to Malaysia by a Tamil Nadu based exporter.

idol
Bangalore Customs

In his list, the exporter has declared the idol as a new bronze antique finish item. The idol was examined and certified by the authorized nominee of the Director-General, Archaeological Survey of India, and assisted by a committee of experts, as an "antique", as per Section 24 of the Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, 1972.

The exporter was arrested and remanded to judicial custody, and further investigation is in progress.

200 antique idols bring back to India after 2014

During "Mann Ki Baat" programme, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has mentioned that many idols were smuggled from India, sold in different nations. "Bringing those idols back was our responsibility. Till 2013, just 13 idols were brought back but after 2014, India brought back over 200 previous idols from nations like the US, Britain, Canada", Prime Minister said in the "Mann Ki Baat" programme.

"In the last few years, hundreds of stolen idols have been brought back to India. Equally, we need to focus on plugging the leak", said Anuraag Saxena one of the founders of the India Pride Project
"Heritage is India's global identity. Not our buildings, malls, or highways. If we can't take care of our core identity, then what are we?", he argued.

'India Pride Project' is a global effort to track and reinstate India's stolen heritage. It is a group of art enthusiasts who uses social media to identify stolen religious artifacts from Indian temples and secure their return. Co-founded in 2014 by two Singapore-based art enthusiasts, S. Vijay Kumar and Anuraag Saxena, it now has activists from all over the world.

PM inspects 29 antiquities repatriated from Australia

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday inspected as many as 29 antiquities that have been repatriated to India from Australia, including those on the themes of Lord Shiva and his disciples, Lord Vishnu, and the Jain tradition.

According to the news agency, the artifacts come from different time periods, with the earliest dating back to the 9-10 century CE. They are broadly divided into six categories, including themes such as 'Shiva and his disciples, 'Worshipping Shakti', 'Lord Vishnu and his forms', the Jain tradition, and other portraits and decorative objects.

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