[MSN] The theft at Patna Museum adds to the long list of Indian art stolen from our museums. Records of Archeological Survey of India (ASI) show that 44 cases of rare antiquities' theft have occurred in the last five years.

[Museum Security Network Mailinglist]

Latest theft only the tip of an iceberg
Maneesh Pandey
[ 28 Sep, 2006 0016hrs ISTTIMES NEWS NETWORK ]
 
NEW DELHI: The theft at Patna Museum adds to the long list of Indian art
stolen from our museums. Records of Archeological Survey of India (ASI) show
that 44 cases of rare antiquities' theft have occurred in the last five
years, 32 of these have occurred in the last three years alone. 

"The temple rich states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu are top
favourites of illicit traffickers of antiquities. In 2003, Rajasthan police
seized around 800 sculptures from the notorious trafficker, Vaman Ghiya, who
is currently in Jaipur Central Jail," said ASI director-general, C Babu
Rajeev. 

The most sensational theft case was at Katnai in Madhya Pradesh. "Besides
the sculpture of Goddess Uma and Lord Maheshwara, in alingan (embrace)
posture, and the one of dancing Ganesha, nine rare antiquities were reported
to be stolen from the sculpture shed in Karitalia in Katnai district on
August 16-17, 2006. 

Most of these sculptures belonged to 9th and 10th centuries," an ASI officer
added. There have been cases of theft being reported from Haryana, Punjab
and Uttaranchal, but these are stray ones. 

Some of the stolen objects from these states have been recovered before
being smuggled out of the country. 

"However, the all-India recovery rate is low. Of the 44 theft cases
recorded, only in 14 cases, have the stolen artifacts been recovered," the
officer said. 

Art and antiquities traffickers have set their eyes on rich temples, not
directly under ASI control, but being managed by trusts.