Hyderabad, April 22: Two persons from Kurnool district were held for trying to sell an antique idol of Goddess Bhoodevi, by the Task Force sleuths.
The duo, who were not aware of the value of the antique piece, planned to sell it for Rs 30 lakh in the city.
The accused were nabbed from the Everest Lodge opposite Secunderabad Railway Station on Tuesday. The accused have been identified as S Madhusudan Reddy alias Babu alias Madhu, a farmer from Velagatur village in Koilkuntla mandal of Kurnool district, and M Rajaram Reddy, a student from Koilkuntla village.
According to police, the parents of Madhusudhan Reddy found the idol while digging a well near their fields in 1984 and had kept it with them since then.
However, Madhusudhan Reddy informed about the idol to Rajaram Reddy and they together planned to dispose of the idol to buyers in Hyderabad at a handsome price and share the money equally.
“They came to the city with a plan to sell the idol at Rs 30 lakh and checked into the hotel. They were caught in surprise checks,” Task Force DCP VB Kamalasan Reddy said.
“Archaeological experts who examined the idol said it dated back to the Vijayanagara empire, approximately 400 years ago,” Kamalasan Reddy said.
The duo along with the idol were handed over to Gopalapuram police for further action.
–Agencies