The government told Parliament on Monday that 615 antiquities were repatriated to India from various countries between 2021 and June 30 this year. Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat shared the data in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.
In response to questions on antiquities and cultural objects reported stolen over the last five years, the minister also shared details of theft cases from centrally protected monuments. The data showed that one stolen antiquity has been recovered, while two others reported stolen in 2022 have not been traced.
According to the data, a Nandi sculpture was stolen in 2021 from the Golingeswara group of Temples at Biccavolu in East Godawari district of Andhra Pradesh. It has since been recovered. The data also showed that a stone idol of Ganpati was stolen in 2022 from the Ganpati Amma Shrine of Lakshminarasimha Temple at Marehalli in Mandya district of Karnataka, while an image of Vishnu was stolen the same year from a site in a village in Patna district of Bihar. Both remain unrecovered.
In another table, the government said 615 antiquities were repatriated to India from various countries from 2021 till June 30 this year. In 2021 alone, 157 antiquities were repatriated from the US, besides one each from Canada and the UK.
Shekhawat said, “The government takes necessary steps towards prevention of the theft of antiquities. Besides regular watch and ward staff, private security guards and Central Industrial Security Force have been deployed as per requirement at monuments of national importance, sites and museums.” He added that whenever any theft of an antiquity is reported, an FIR is lodged and a Look Out Notice is issued to law-enforcement agencies, including customs exit channels, to keep vigil, trace the stolen antiquity and prevent its export.
In a separate written reply, Shekhawat said a total of 655 antiquities had been repatriated and authenticated from 2014 to June 30, 2026. Overall, the replies outlined the number of antiquities brought back to India, recent theft cases from protected sites and the steps being taken to prevent theft and track stolen objects.
– Ends
With PTI inputs
Published By:
India Today Web Desk
Published On:
Jul 20, 2026 21:47 IST
