By IANS,
Lucknow : An ancient ‘ashtdhatu’ (eight-metal) idol worth over Rs.10 million was seized in Uttar Pradesh from a youth, who allegedly planned to smuggle it to Nepal, the police said Saturday.
“Presently in police custody, the youth has admitted that he was in touch with Nepal-based ‘prospective buyers’ for sale of the idol,” Police Inspector P.N. Chaudhary told IANS.
“It appears the youth nabbed Saturday is a part of an international racket involved in illegal trade of idols,” Chaudhary added.
The idol was stolen two days ago from the Lord Kartikey temple in Jaghan locality in Gorakhpur, over 270 km from Lucknow.
The temple is believed to have come up more than a century ago.
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