Sand artist arrested over Someshwara temple idol theft, gets bail

Biligere Police, in Nanjangud taluk, arrested city-based sand artist M N Gowri, following a complaint by the Tahsildar, on Wednesday (July 1). She was granted bail later.

Police said, “On June 30, the artist had taken a three feet tall sculpture of Veerabhadreshwara from a field in front of Someshwara temple in Hariharapura, near Biligere. The villagers have informed the issue to the Tahsildar. Following a complaint by the Tahsildar, we registered a case and are investigating”.

The police team, lead by Sub-Inspector Akash, visited Jal Bagh, on KRS Road, on the outskirts of the city, and took the sculpture into custody. A case has been filed against Gowri under Section 378 of IPC, for theft. During the inquiry, she stated that she brought the idol to hand it over to the Archeology department and it was lying neglected in the field, the Police said.

Local residents said, near the hillock between Hariharapura and Iggali, there is an ancient Someshwara temple. When the Cholas were ruling these parts Ganigas, or manufacturers of vegetable oils, were residing there and the idols and other sculptures belong to them. There are many more such ancient artworks there, they said.

Gowri, along with her sister M N Neelambika has set up a sand sculpture museum and has a collection of over 100 artworks.

Meanwhile, Gowri met Deputy Commissioner Abhiram G Sankar and has submitted a letter, stating that she found an ancient sculpture and wanted to hand it over to the government, as per the guidelines of the Treasure Trove Act, 1878, but due to some misunderstanding the police have filed a case against her.