In a massive recovery effort, the Idol Wing-CID of the Tamil Nadu Police has successfully brought home a rare Chola-era bronze idol of Lord Kaliya Kalki, also known as Kaliya Narthana Krishna, depicting the child deity Krishna dancing atop the serpent Kaliya. Valued at approximately USD 3.5 million, the idol had been stolen several years ago and was traced to Bangkok, Thailand.

The historic idol was recovered with the assistance of the Indian Embassy in Thailand and the Fine Arts Department of Thailand, and was temporarily housed at the High Commission of India in Bangkok before being returned to India. Investigations revealed the idol had been illicitly trafficked by notorious smuggler Subhash Kapoor, who sold it to antiquities dealer Douglas Latchford. The piece changed hands internationally from New York to Bangkok, before being traced through an online article titled “Hold On to Your Hat”, in which Latchford had described acquiring the artifact.







Following Latchford’s passing in 2020, his daughter voluntarily surrendered the idol to Thai authorities amid mounting pressure from Indian and U.S. investigations. The recovery was made possible through close collaboration between international agencies. S. Vijay Kumar, co-founder of the India Pride Project, expressed gratitude to the Manhattan District Attorney's Office and U.S. Homeland Security for their critical support in facilitating the return.

DGP Shailesh Kumar Yadav of Idol Wing-CID has confirmed that a detailed investigation is underway, and legal action will be pursued against all those involved in the theft and trafficking of this national treasure. This successful operation is not only a testament to cross-border cooperation but also a proud moment in the ongoing mission to reclaim India’s lost heritage.

Source / Image Credit : TheTatva, The Hindu