Bengaluru, Apr 21 (PTI) The Air Cargo Commissionerate here intercepted a consignment imported from Austria containing a 9th-century sculpture identified as a stolen antiquity from Nepal, officials said on Tuesday.
The consignment, declared as a “Grey Stone Stele of Padmapani,” was imported from Vienna, Austria, they said.
On expert examination by the ASI (Archaeological Survey of India), the sculpture was identified as a 9th-century antiquity, matching archival records of a stolen Padmapani stele reported missing from Nepal, Bengaluru Customs said in a statement shared on ‘X’.
Following confirmation from the Government of Nepal, the object has been established as a stolen cultural treasure belonging to Nepal, it said.
“The consignment remains under Customs control and steps for further action are underway in coordination with the Ministry of Culture and the MEA (Ministry of External Affairs),” the statement said, without divulging further details.
Indian Customs reaffirmed its commitment to protecting heritage and preventing the illicit trafficking of antiquities, it added. PTI AMP SSK
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