142 Antiquities Stolen In MP Since 1961; Lack Of Photo Records Hinders Recovery
The three states account for more than 65 percent of recorded thefts of antiquities in the country: Reports
BHOPAL: As many as 142 antiquities were stolen from Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)-protected monuments in Madhya Pradesh between 1961 and 2024, making the state the worst victim of heritage trafficking in the country.
A total of 488 antiquities have been stolen or found missing in the ASI-protected monuments in the country during the period.
While Madhya Pradesh topped the list of the precious artifacts stolen from the ASI-protected monuments, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh were placed second and third, reporting 91 and 86 antiquities respectively, official data shows.rec
The three states account for more than 65 percent of recorded thefts of antiquities in the country, most of which were still missing.
Twelve districts in Madhya Pradesh have been identified as hotspots of antiquity trafficking.
They are Guna, Gwalior, Morena, Shivpuri, Vidisha, Bhind, Raisen, Katni, Khandwa, Satna, Damoh and Barwani.
Deliberations at a gathering of experts in the field held under the theme, “Heritage Belongs to Humanity, Not the Black Market”, have identified lack of a comprehensive photographic inventory as a major hurdle for identification of the antiquities stolen or missing from these sites.
“Lack of a comprehensive photographic inventory has caused the investigators to establish identity and the location of the missing antiquities after artifacts are stolen”, the experts opined.
The stolen antiquities are trafficked for their sale in the international market through intermediaries with forged provenance papers.
Lack of photographic evidence makes it difficult to stake legal claim over the stolen antiquities, when retrieved.
The state archaeological sites and museums have also fallen victims to antiquity trafficking.
As per official records, eight antiquities were stolen from the monuments being protected by the state archaeological department and museums in the last 25 years.
The latest antiquity stolen was the 400-year-old cannon, weighing 3.5 tons, from the Narwar Fort in Shivpuri district in July.
A campaign is proposed to be launched against heritage trafficking across the state on the occasion of International Day against Illicit Trafficking in Cultural Property on Saturday.
