1,000-year-old stolen idols of Rajaraja Chola return to TN from Gujarat

CHENNAI: Two 1,000-year-old bronze idols of the most powerful ruler from the imperial Cholas dynasty, Rajaraja Chola, and his queen Lokamadevi, which went missing from Brihadeeswarar temple at Thanjavur more than 50 years ago, returned to Tamil Nadu on Thursday. Retrieved from a private museum in Ahmedabad, the two idols would now be installed at the Big Temple (Brihadeeswarar temple) in the next three days.
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Briefing newspersons here, inspector-general of police AG Pon Manickavel, who led a team to retrieve the idols from Calico museum in Ahmedabad at Gujarat, said efforts would continue for the recovery of such stolen idols to the state.

Bronze idols of Rajaraja Chola and Ulagamaadevi arrive in Chennai.
"We registered a case (with regard to missing of the two idols from the Big Temple) just three months ago and retrieved it within 90 days. We would be installing these idols at his house," Pon Manickavel said, underscoring that the idols of Rajaraja Chola and his queen Lokamadevi would be kept at Brihadeeswarar temple in three days.
The idols were stolen from Big Temple at Tanjore more than 50 years ago.
Asked whether any arrest has been made over the stolen idols, he said that none had been booked so far. "But, we will be arresting the culprits," he added. "About 20 idols are missing from the temple. A similar idol has been replaced inside the temple," the inspector-general said.