The stolen artefact, a bronze statue of Buddha, was identified at London antiques fair in March by members of the Association for Research into Crimes against Art, Guardian reported. After 60 years, the artefact will be returned to India.
London police said the current owner of an ancient bronze statue of Buddha and the dealer were unaware of the artefact’s history and agreed for it to be returned to India after 60 years in the UK. According to the detective constable Sophie Hayes, of the Metropolitan Police’s Art and Antiques Unit, London police are delighted to be able to facilitate the return of this important piece of cultural heritage to India.
“This case has been a true example of cooperation between law enforcement, the trade and scholars. Particular credit must go to the eagle-eyed informants who made us aware that the missing piece had been located after so many years,”
DC added.
There are many different Buddha statues but only several of them are really ancient and precious, say the historians. Sometimes, Buddha statues are lots at the famous auctions like Christie’s.
Michael Ellis, the UK minister for arts, heritage and tourism, said Britain was one of the first countries to recover one of the 14 elusive Buddha statues. Thanks to the experts from the Association for Research into Crimes against Art (ARCA), the stolen Buddha bronze statue is going to be returned to India. Meanwhile, Embassy of Ethiopia has sent an official request for the returning one of the most precious relics fro National Army Museum. Ethiopians want back the lock of hair of the emperor Tewodros II who died in 1868.
