A swift and coordinated effort by the Tamil Nadu Police’s Idol Wing-CID has successfully halted the auction of a precious temple idol stolen from the state 15 years ago. The idol, a metal representation of Kannappa Nayanar, was reported stolen from the Arulmigu Agneeswaraswamy Temple in Thirupugalur in Nagapattinam district in 2010.
Kannappa Nayanar, also known as Thinnan, is revered as one of the 63 Nayanmars (devotees) of Lord Shiva in Tamil Shaivism.
According to officials, the theft was registered at the Thittachery police station on August 8, 2010, after temple authorities discovered the idol was missing. Despite extensive investigations over the years, the whereabouts of the idol remained unknown until recently.
The breakthrough came when the Idol Wing-CID received intelligence that the Kannappa Nayanar idol had resurfaced at the European Fine Art Exhibition-2025, held in Maastricht, Netherlands. The idol was listed for auction, raising immediate alarm. Acting without delay, the Idol Wing-CID initiated contact with Dutch police authorities and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), urging intervention to halt the auction.
Their swift action yielded results, as the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs and local Dutch authorities promptly stepped in and took custody of the idol on March 23. “The timely intervention by the Idol Wing-CID played a crucial role in stopping the auction and securing the Kannappa Nayanar idol. Legal procedures have now been set in motion to repatriate the idol to India,” a state police statement said.
The Tamil Nadu Director General of Police and Head of Police Force, Shankar Jiwal, lauded the Idol Wing’s successful operation. He extended special appreciation to the team led by Additional Director General of Police, D Kalpana Nayak, for their dedication and relentless pursuit of cultural heritage protection.