Lok Sabha Question No. 2315 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-08
Subject: Theft of Idols
Ministry: CULTURE
Asked by: Devusinh Jesingbhai Chauhan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2315 TO BE ANSWERED ON 08.07.2019.

## Theft of Idols

## 2315.  Shri Devusinh Jesingbhai Chauhan :

Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to state:

- (a) the number of theft cases of rare idols/artifacts reported during each of the last three years and the current year and the action taken to recover them during the said period, State /UT -wise;
- (b) whether  the  Government  has  taken  steps  to  prevent  such  incidents  and  provide  proper security at these temples to protect such artifacts/idols; and
- (c) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE, (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR CULTURE AND TOURISM

## (PRAHLAD SINGH PATEL)

- (a) Six  cases  of theft  of  antiquities  have  been  reported  from  the  centrally  protected monuments / sites / site museums managed by the Archaeological Survey of India across the country during the last three years and the current year. Details are at Annexure-I. When any theft of antiquity is reported, First Information Report is lodged in concerned police station and look out notice is issued to law enforcing agencies including custom exit channels to keep vigil to trace stolen antiquity and prevent illegal export.
- (b) (b) and (c)  Yes Sir. Archaeological Survey of India is committed towards the protection
- (c) of monuments, sites and museums under its jurisdiction. Besides regular watch and ward staff  of  Archaeological  Survey  of  India,  Private  Security  Guards,  State  Police  Armed Guards, Central Industrial Security Force have been deployed as per requirement.

STATEMENT REFFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2315 FOR 08.07.2019

## List of theft cases of Antiquities reported from Centrally Protected Monuments/Sites/Site Museums under the Jurisdiction of Archaeological Survey of India during last three years and Current Year

|   Sl. No. |   Year | State          | Location /Antiquity/ Material                                                                                                                                  | Date of Theft           | Action Taken                              | Status              |
|-----------|--------|----------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------------------------|---------------------|
|         1 |   2016 | Rajasthan      | Theft of three stone sculptures namely standing figure of Siva and Parvati (two nos.), and Lakulisha, from the Ancient Ruins Kalyanpur, District Udaipur       | 3 / 4 Februar y-y 2016. | F.I.R. Lodged and look out notice issued. | Yet to be recovered |
|         2 |   2016 | Chhattisgar -h | Theft of two Bhairava stone sculptures from Dantewada                                                                                                          | 06/07. July 2016.       | F.I.R. Lodged and look out notice issued. | Yet to be recovered |
|         3 |   2016 | Andhra Pradesh | Theft of a stone Nandi sculpture from Sri Kumaraarama Bhimeswara Swamy temple, Samalkot Mandal of East Godavari District.                                      | 24 / 25 Novem ber 2016  | F.I.R. Lodged and look out notice issued. | Yet to be recovered |
|         4 |   2016 | Karnataka      | Theft of one stone sculpture of Ganesha fixed in the open mandapa of Vigneswara Shrine of Ramalingeswara temple complex Avani, Mulbagali taluk, Kolar District | 26 / 27 Novem ber 2016  | F.I.R. Lodged and look out notice issued. | Yet to be recovered |
|         5 |   2016 | Andhra Pradesh | Theft of stone sculpture of Nandi                                                                                                                              | 12/13 Decemb            | F.I.R. Lodged                             | Stolen antiquity    |

|    |      |                | from the Veerabhadra Temple, Motupalle, Chinaganjam Mandal, Parakasham District.                                                      | er 2016                | and look out notice issued.               | recovered by local police on 18 th December 2016.   |
|----|------|----------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------|-------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------|
|  6 | 2017 | Andhra Pradesh | Theft of a stone sculpture of Nandi from Sri Anadavalli Ammavaru Temple, Parasurameshwara Swamy Complex, Gudimallam, Chitoor District | 26 / 27 Novem ber 2017 | F.I.R. Lodged and look out notice issued. | Yet to be recovered                                 |
|  7 | 2018 |                | NIL                                                                                                                                   |                        |                                           |                                                     |
|  8 | 2019 |                | NIL                                                                                                                                   |                        |                                           |                                                     |