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Ancient Idol's Fate: Allahabad HC Bridges Sectarian Divide with Museum Transfer
In a nuanced intervention highlighting cultural heritage's fragility, the has ordered the transfer of a disputed Jain idol from Etah police custody to the secure confines of Prayagraj's Central Museum. Benchled by Justice Ajit Kumar and Justice Swarupama Chaturvedi , the court addressed petitions from and amid escalating claims over the idol's sectarian ownership.
Unearthed Controversy in Etah
The idol surfaced in Etah district, sparking a fierce tussle between the Digambar and Shwetambar Jain sects. Currently held by local police, it drew initial scrutiny from the
. An early two-member ASI committee suggested Shwetambar affiliations, but a subsequent report by the Agra Circle Superintending Archaeologist on
, deemed features
"inconclusive or shared across sects."
This echoed media reports noting the idol's historical significance and the ongoing custody standoff.
Petitions— and connected matters like and —urged resolution, raising questions on lawful custody under the , police holding validity, and expert determination of the idol's Digambar or Shwetambar character.
Sects Square Off: Claims and Counter-Claims
Petitioners, led by senior advocates and , argued the ASI's second report warranted deeper scholarly scrutiny by sect-specific experts. They invoked the Treasure Trove Act, asserting the District Collector—not police—as proper custodian for earth-recovered artifacts, demanding claims resolution via statutory remedies.
State counsel, including , leaned on the latest ASI report, emphasizing its call for a balanced expert committee with representation from both traditions. No conclusive ownership was pressed, prioritizing impartiality amid sectarian sensitivities.
Navigating Inconclusive Icons: Court's Prudent Path
The bench recognized the idol's "historical importance" and iconographic ambiguities, sidestepping ownership to ensure preservation. Absent cited precedents, the court focused on procedural equity, endorsing ASI's interdisciplinary recommendation while elevating custody standards beyond police vaults. This balances heritage protection with dispute neutrality, invoking administrative oversight under writ jurisdiction.
Key Observations
"The identification of the sculpture as belonging to either the Svetambara or Digambara sect cannot be conclusively established based solely on the existing iconographic and stylistic evidence in the idol since the features remain inconclusive or are shared across sects."(ASI Superintending Archaeologist Report, )
"Considering the historical importance of the idol recovered as it is claimed to be belonging to 9-10th century and sensitivity of the sectarian interpretation... we direct for its safe custody in the Central Museum at Prayagraj."(Para 8)
"A committee of subject experts in Jain art and iconography, preferably with representation from both Svetambara and Digambara scholarly traditions, be constituted... for a more nuanced, interdisciplinary, and impartial assessment."(Endorsed from ASI Report)
Verdict Unlocks Clarity: Idol to Museum, Experts to Decide
On , the court mandated: Etah District Magistrate to deliver the idol to Prayagraj's Central Museum by , for public display under secure custody. The museum must form an expert team—in coordination with ASI—to assess character, nature, period, and sect within three months, submitting findings in a sealed cover.
Next hearing: . This sidesteps immediate ownership, fostering expert consensus and model handling for antiquity disputes. It safeguards heritage while deferring claims, potentially setting a template for sect-sensitive artifacts nationwide.
