Chennai, Dec 28 (IANS): The Idol Wing of Tamil Nadu police has seized a five feet tall idol of Goddess Sivakami from a house at Kumbakonam.

The police said in a statement that the idol is believed to be from the later Chola period, but its exact time period will be ascertained only after an inspection by the Archeological Survey of India (ASI).

The Idol Wing constituted special teams after it got information that a person was trying to smuggle out an idol from his residence at Swamimalai, Kumbakonam. The Idol Wing obtained a search warrant from a local magistrate and conducted a raid wherein it found the 130 kg statue of Goddess Sivakami from the said house.

The Idol Wing sleuths then questioned the owner of the house, Saravanan, as to whether he had any documents related to the idol, which he failed to produce.

According to the statement, the Idol Wing then seized the statue and said that it would approach the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department to ascertain the details of the temple from where the idol was stolen.

It may be noted that the elite Idol Wing police of the Tamil Nadu government has retrieved several antique and unique idols stolen from various individuals and auction houses abroad, and even from individuals and organisations within the country.