Idol theft accused arrested in Tirunelveli

Chennai: Eleven years after 13 ‘Panchaloha’ idols were stolen from a temple in Tirunelveli, the idol theft wing of state police arrested R. Paramadurai (42) of Tirunelveli district, on Saturday here in Chennai.

According to police, the idols were stolen from Narumpoo Nadhar temple in Palavoor in June 2005.

Of the total 13 idols, the perpetrators had illegally sent four idols including Rs 15 crore worth Ananda Natarajar idol to London allegedly through Subash Kapur, already arrested. After the police intensified the search for idols and for perpetrators, all the four idols were returned to India via Bangkok and kept reportedly in Dheenadhayalan’s house in Chennai.