U.S. Customs officials reclaim ancient idol looted from Indian temple

A bronze statue dating back to the 11th or 12th century has been recovered by U.S. Customs officials, after it was looted from a temple in India.

An anonymous collector voluntarily handed the two-and-a-half-foot idol over to authorities, the New York office of Immigration and Customs Enforcement said on Wednesday. This person purchased the statue in 2006, and received forged papers. The idol is part of a three-year investigation into an art dealer named Subhash Kapoor, who is awaiting trial in India on looting charges, The Associated Press reports.

ICE says the statue was taken from a temple in Tamil Nadu, and will be returned to India. If it could be sold on the market, it would go for as much as $1 million.

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