Latest theft only the tip of an iceberg

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.