Bronze Navaneetha Krishna from Tamil Nadu Among Stolen Artefacts Returned To India By US And UK Authorities

On the occasion of the 73rd Independence Day, India regained the possession of two priceless artefacts dating back centuries, reports The Hindu.

A bronze idol of Navaneetha Krishna from the 17th century Nayaka period and a limestone relief dating back to the beginning of the previous millennium which were stolen from Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh respectively were formally handed over to the Indian High Commissioner in London by the US and UK authorities.

Smuggler Subhas Kapoor who has been charged by the Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) of the US is linked with the theft of the artefacts. He is lodged in Tiruchchirappalli prison in Tamil Nadu, facing criminal charges for running an international smuggling racket that is responsible for the theft of idols and artefacts from the temples in Tamil Nadu.

Earlier in June, an art collector from Britain who had bought a few artefacts from Kapoor volunteered to surrender the antiquities to the HSI, through the Metropolitan Police Service of London. After examining the pieces, the agencies promptly handed them over to the Indian High Commission.