US returns 657 stolen ancient idols to India

 

New Delhi – The US has returned 657 rare and ancient idols of Indian origin to India. The estimated value of these idols is over Rs 120 crore. These idols were smuggled to the US by international smuggling gangs over the past several years. The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office announced the return of these artifacts to India after an investigation into the smuggling. The handover of these idols to India has exposed a major ‘cultural theft’ linked to an international smuggling ring. The idols were seized by US authorities during an ongoing investigation into criminal gangs linked to smugglers Subhash Kapoor and Nancy Winner. The Consul General said that much work remains to be done to bring the stolen artifacts back to India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also posted about these artifacts returned to India from the US.

Which idols are included ?

1. A bronze statue of Avalokiteshvara – This statue was kept in the Mahant Ghasidas Memorial Museum in Raipur. It was stolen in 1982 and taken to the United States. It was recovered from a private collection in New York in 2025.

2. Red sandstone Buddha statue: This statue was taken to New York through the smuggling network of smuggler Subhash Kapoor.

3. A sandstone idol of a dancing Ganesha, looted from a temple in Madhya Pradesh in the year 2000, has also been returned.