[MSN] State a hunting ground for antique smugglers

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State a hunting ground for antique smugglers

PATNA: Thieves-smugglers nexus has its tentacles spread throughout state.
Temples and mutts in the countryside have been preyed upon frequently.
Investigation revealed that antique smugglers have their links with heads
of some temples and mutts.

Dozens of such cases of theft of antiques, mostly "ashtadhatu" from
temples, have remained unsolved in the state.

Last Sunday's art heist in the Patna Museum proved beyond doubt that this
clandestine grey market has a high demand for "ashtadhatu" idols of Hindu
gods and goddesses. All the 18 bronze artifacts recently stolen from Patna
Museum were made of "ashtadhatu".

The theft and sale of priceless artifacts installed in temples and mutts
of Bihar is going on unabated. Bihar State Board of Religious Trusts
administrator and former IPS officer Kishore Kunal, said, "We are in the
process of preparing such list of stolen artifacts from all the 3,600
registered temples in Bihar and Jharkhand." Kunal also admitted that there
was a great demand for "ashtadhatu" idols in the grey market.

The famous Shiva Linga (7th century AD) of the Mundeshwari temple, the
oldest recorded Hindu temple in Bihar located in Kaimur Hills, which was
stolen few years back, was recovered only due to the pressure of local
residents, Kunal said.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/2080638.cms