India, July 20 -- The Government of India has issued a release:
S.No.
State
Name of Monuments/Sites (from where the antiquities were stolen and location)
Name of object stolen
Year of theft
Status
Andhra Pradesh
Golingeswara group of Temples, Biccavolu, District East Godawari.
Nandi sculpture
2021
Recovered
Uttarakhand
Bhairav Temple, Mrityunjay Temple Complex, Dwarahat, District Almora.
Shiva Linga
2021
Recovered
Jharkhand
Sitagarha Archaeological Excavation Site, District Hazaribagh.
Two sculptures of Buddha in bhumisparsha mudra
2021
Recovered
Karnataka
Ganpati Amma Shrine of Lakshminarasimha Temple, Marehalli, District Mandya.
Stone idol of Ganpati
2022
Not Recovered
Bihar
Village Dattina, P.S Vikram, District Patna.
Image of Vishnu
2022
Not Recovered
Tamil Nadu
Parthasarathi and Krishna
Temples, Parthivapuram, Vilavancode, District Kanyakumari.
Idol of Vishnu
2024
Recovered
Year
Name of the Country
Number of Antiquities
2021
UK
01
Canada
01
USA
157
2022
Australia
29
UK
01
2023
Australia
02
UK
07
USA
105
Italy
01
2024
Thailand
01
USA
297
2026
Australia
11
USA
02
Total
615
The details of theft cases from the Centrally Protected Monuments are given at Annexure-I.
Details of the retrieval of antiquities during the last five years are given at Annexure 'II'.
The government takes necessary steps towards prevention of the theft of antiquities. Besides regular watch and ward staff, private security guards and Central Industrial Security Force have been deployed as per requirement at Monuments of National Importance, Sites and Museums. Whenever any theft of antiquity is reported; FIR is lodged and 'Look out Notice' is issued to the law-enforcement agencies including Custom Exit Channels to keep vigil to trace stolen antiquity and prevent export.
The repatriation of antiquities is a continuous process. The process of repatriation takes place with the help of Ministry of External Affairs, (MEA) and Indian Embassies/Missions, as and when any antiquity is traced or surfaced abroad.
This information was given by Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in a written reply in Lok Sabha today
ANNEXURE-I
DETAILS OF STOLEN ANTIQUITIES DURING THE LAST FIVE YEARS
Annexure II
DETAILS OF THE RETRIEVAL OF ANTIQUITIES DURING THE LAST FIVE YEARS (UPTO 30 JUNE, 2026)
Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.
