Officials of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment (HR&CE) in Tiruchi region, who inspected the idols seized by the State Idol Wing CID Police from a house in Chennai, found two idols matching those stolen from the region.
The officials from 31 temples in Tiruchi, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Pudukottai and Karur districts examined the idols in Chennai a couple of days ago. Senior department officials said two of the seized idols matched the ones reported stolen from two temples in Tiruchi and Perambalur districts.
The image of a stone idol of Brahma, stolen from Arulmigu Thiru Muktheeswarar temple at Ayan Peraiyur in Perambalur district, matched one of the seized idols, a senior official said.
The temple priest was called to Chennai to look at the idol.
Similarly, an idol of Goddess Sivakamasundari matched the one reportedly stolen from Sri Sivaloganadha Swamy Temple at Mullal near Lalgudi in Tiruchi district. In all, five idols of ‘Brahma,’ ‘Vinayakar,’ ‘Annamalaiyar,’ ‘Dhandapani’ and ‘Chandikeshwarar’ were stolen from the temple at Ayan Peraiyur in 2011.
