Two days after questioning M Muthiah, the chief sculptor of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department, in connection with the idols missing from the Kapaleeshwarar temple in Mylapore, the Idol Wing sleuths on Saturday searched the house of Thirumagal, Additional Commissioner of the temple.

Representative Image

Chennai:

Official sources said that the search lasted for about 30 minutes but did not reveal any information regarding the documents seized. AG Pon Manickavel, IG (Idol Wing), also questioned the official, as she could not produce documents on the whereabouts of the idol.

It all started a few months ago after devotees lodged a complaint with the HR&CE Department that a peacock idol from the Punnai Nathar shrine at the temple has been replaced with a fake one. 

The Idol Wing, which is entrusted with the responsibility of investigating all cases of idol thefts in the State, took up the matter. Investigations revealed that certain idols in the temple were changed in 2004 when consecration was conducted.  

While a Nandi idol was unearthed from the temple pond recently, the Idol Wing is investigating whether the other idols were buried in a similar manner or smuggled out of the country. 

Earlier, hearing a petition in this regard a month ago, a division bench of the Madras High Court, comprising Justice R Mahadevan and Justice P D Audikesavalu, had compared the functioning of temple priests (Archakas) to that of robots. 

The court was expressing dissatisfaction over the priests working mechanically, without any devotion, unaware of idols either going missing or being robbed. Despite dedicating themselves to the service of God, they failed to even complain about the theft and disappearance of idols to the authorities concerned, the judges had criticised.