Lok Sabha Question No. 2148 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-08-03
Subject: Trafficking of Antiquities
Ministry: CULTURE
Asked by: INNOCENT

**GOVERNMENT OF INDIA**

**MINISTRY OF CULTURE**

**LOK SABHA**

**UNSTARRED QUESTION  NO. 2148.**

**TO BE ANSWERED ON 03.08. 2015**

**SHRAVANA 12, 1937 (SAKA)**

**TRAFFICKING OF ANTIQUITIES**

**2148.  SHRI INNOCENT:**

Will the **Minister of CULTURE** be pleased to state:

| (a)   | whether  the Government  is  aware of the  illegal trafficking in antiquities in the country;                        |
|-------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| (b)   | if so, the number of cases reported during  the last two years; year-wise;                                           |
| (c)   | the corrective steps being taken to combat trafficking in antiquities;                                               |
| (d)   | whether the National Mission in Monuments and Antiquities will be able to combat the trafficking in antiquities; and |
| (e)   | if so,  the details thereof ?                                                                                        |

**ANSWER**

**MINISTER  OF  STATE, CULTURE  AND TOURISM (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) AND MINISTER OF STATE, CIVIL AVIATION**

**(DR. MAHESH SHARMA)**

| (a)  &  (b)   | The available data does not indicate increasing illegal trafficking in antiquities.  The number of cases of antiquity thefts reported during the last two years is at Annexure.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
|-------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
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| (c)               | Under the Antiquities and Art Treasures Act 1972, provisions exist for regulating the trade in antiquities and for registering specific categories of antiquities.  India is also a signatory to the 1970 UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Trafficking in cultural property  The provision for security at museums and protected monuments by deploying State Police, Private Security Guards and also CISF in selected places exists.  Strict vigil is also maintained by the Customs Department at all airports and seaports and other law enforcing agencies like the CBI, DRI and the State Police |
| (d)  &  (e)   | The National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities would document the antiquities and prepare a national database, which would help in establishing provenance in the retrieval of smuggled antiquities.  The Mission would also promote public awareness, concern and participation in safeguarding of antiquarian wealth.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
|                   | The National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities would document the antiquities and prepare a national database, which would help in establishing provenance in the retrieval of smuggled antiquities.  The Mission would also promote public awareness, concern and participation in safeguarding of antiquarian wealth.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |

**Annexure**

**STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) TO (b) OF THE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2148 TO BE ANSWERED ON 3.8.2015**

**Statement giving details of theft of antiquities from Centrally Protected Monuments/Sites/Museums maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India  during last two years from  2013-2014 and current year  upto  May, 2015.**

| **YEAR 2013**   |              |                                                                                       |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |                   |                  |               |
|-----------------|--------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------|------------------|---------------|
| Sl.  No.        | **State**    | **Name of Monument/Sites & District**                                             | **Description of object**                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | **Date of theft** | **Action taken** | **Status**    |
| 1.              | Karnataka    | Fortress & Renuka Devi Temple, Chandragutti Soraba Taluk, District Shimoga, Karnataka | The stone sculpture of eight handed Mahisasuramardini made of chloritic schist, standing in tribhanga posture.                                                                                                                             | 12.01.2013        | F.I.R. lodged    | Not recovered |
| 2.              | Karnataka    | Sri Vaidyeshwara Temple, Talakad District, Mysore                                     | The Sculpture of four handed Dakshinamoorty made of granite with Prabhavali, seated upon a lotus throne in ardhparyanka mudra.                                                                                                             | 03.2.2013         | F.I.R. lodged    | Not recovered |
| 3.              | Chhattisgarh | Excavated Tivardev Buddha Monastery, Sirpur, District Mahasmunda, Chhattisgarh        | It is seated image in lalitasan posture built on the soft stone. The left hand of the image is straightly kept on the left knee whereas right hand is holding a bowl.                                                                      | 17.3.2013         | F.I.R. lodged    | Not recovered |
| 4.              | Karnataka    | Mallikarjuna Temple, Basaral, District Mandya.                                        | Shivlinga                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 13.5.2013         | F.I.R. lodged    | Not recovered |
| 5.              | Karnataka    | Bucheswara Temple, Koravangala, Hassan Taluk, Hassan District.                        | Seated Chaturbhuja Ganesha in Hoysala style of art datable to late 12  th  century AD. Ganesha is in Ardha lalitasana, four armed bearing danta, ankusha, pushpa and modaka patra . The sculpture is exuberantly decorated with jewellery. | 11-12-10-2013     | F.I.R. lodged    | Not recovered |

|    |    | **YEAR 2014**   |
|----|----|-----------------|

|   Sl.  No. | **State**   | **Name of Monument/Sites & District**                                                                                                          | **Description of object**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           | **Date of theft**         | **Action taken**                                | **Status**                           |
|------------|-------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------|
|         1. | Karnataka   | Theft of one Durga Sculpture from the premises of Panchalingeswara Temple, Govindanahalli, K.R.Pete Taluk, Mandya district, Karnataka.             | The stone sculpture of eight armed  *Mahishamardini*  (  *Durga*  ). The deity bears trident, sword, chakra, arrow, bell, shield and bow as weapons. She is shown pushing the human form of demon in her lower left hand. The sculpture is made of grey soap stone. | 07.03.2014                | F.I.R. lodged                                   | Not recovered                        |
|         2. | Karnataka   | Theft of one broken granite Shivalinga from Shiva temple, Thimmalapur, Hospet taluk, Bellary Dist, Karnataka, a centrally protected monument- reg. | Broken Stone (granite) Shivalinga                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | 18  th  -19  th  .06.2014 | F.I.R. lodged                                   | Not recovered                        |
|         3. | Gujarat     | Theft of two wooden carved Brackets from Vitthalbhai Haveli at Vso, Dist. Kheda                                                                    | Two wooden carved Brackets                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 23.6.2014                 | F.I.R. lodged  No look out notice s were issued | Recovered back by police authorities |

|   4. | Karnataka   | Theft of one black granite stone Nandi fixed to the Bharateswara subshrine of Ramalingaeswara temple complex Avani, Mulbangal taluk, Kolar district, Karnataka, a Centrally Protected Monument   | one black granite stone Nandi                                   | 18-19.07.2014   | F.I.R. lodged   | Not traceable yet.   |
|------|-------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------------|
|   5. | Bihar       | Theft of one sculpture of Jain Tirthanker (Mahavira)made of stone (granite) from the premises of Jain Shrine Temple Rajgir a centrally protected monument                                        | sculpture of Jain Tirthanker (Mahavira)                         | 30-31.07.2014   | F.I.R. lodged   | Not recovered        |
|   6. | Karnataka   | Theft of Two Schist Stone Sculptures from Nageswar temple, Mosale, Hassan taluk, Hassan district Karnataka, centrally protected monument.                                                        | Two Schist Stone Sculptures of Mahisasuramardini and Sarasawati | 13-14.09.2014   | F.I.R. Lodged   | Not recovered        |

**YEAR 2015**

|   1. | Karnataka   | Theft of one schist stone Yaksha sculpture from Bhimesheshwara temple at Neelgunda, Harappanahalli Taluk, Davangere district, Karnataka a centrally protected monument.   | schist stone Yaksha sculpture                | 26 April 2015   | F.I.R. Lodged   | Not recovered   |
|------|-------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|   2. | Orissa      | Theft of one sculpture of Trivikrama (Locally called Bali Vamana) from the premises of Varahanatha temple, Jajpur, Orrisa, a centrally protected monument.                | sculpture of Trivikrama (Locally called Bali | 18 May 2015     | F.I.R. Lodged   | Not recovered   |

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