Parliament Question: Repatriation of Antiquities and Cultural Objects

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.45 ANSWERED ON 20/07/2026 REPATRIATION OF ANTIQUITIES AND CULTURAL OBJECTS 45.SMT. SHAMBHAVI: DR. LATA WANKHEDE: Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to state:- (a) the details and number of antiquities and cultural objects reported stolen during the last five years, year-wise; (b) the details and number of such antiquities traced and recovered during the last five years, year-wise; (c) the details of the number of antiquities presently under investigation or being pursued for recovery; (d) the details of the countries from which antiquities and cultural property have been repatriated during the last five years; (e) the details of the specific measures taken by the Government to strengthen tracing and recovery of stolen antiquities; and (f) the targets fixed for recovery and repatriation of antiquities and cultural property and the details of progress achieved thereunder? ANSWER MINISTER OF CULTURE AND TOURISM (SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT) (a)to(c) The details of theft cases from the Centrally Protected Monuments are given at Annexure-I. (d) Details are given at Annexure ‘II’. (e) 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. Whenever any theft of antiquity is reported; FIR is lodged and ‘Look out Notice’ is issued to the law- enforcement agencies including Custom Exit Channels to keep vigil to trace stolen antiquity and prevent export. (f) The repatriation of antiquities is a continuous process. The process of repatriation takes place with the help of Ministry of External Affairs, (MEA) and Indian Embassies/Missions, as and when any antiquity is traced or surfaced abroad.ANNEXURE-I ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) TO (c) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO 45 FOR 20.07.2026 DETAILS OF STOLEN ANTIQUITIES DURING THE LAST FIVE YEARS S.No. State Name of Name of object Year of Status Monuments/Sites (from stolen theft where the antiquities were stolen and location) 1. Andhra Golingeswara group of Nandi sculpture 2021 Recovered Pradesh Temples, Biccavolu, District East Godawari. 2. Uttarakhand Bhairav Temple, Shiva Linga 2021 Recovered Mrityunjay Temple Complex, Dwarahat, District Almora. 3. Jharkhand Sitagarha Archaeological Two sculptures of 2021 Recovered Excavation Site, District Buddha in Hazaribagh. bhumisparsha mudra 4. Karnataka GanpatiAmma Shrine of Stone idol of 2022 Not Lakshminarasimha Ganpati Recovered Temple, Marehalli, District Mandya. 5. Bihar Village Dattina, P.S Image of Vishnu 2022 Not Vikram, District Patna. Recovered 6. Tamil Nadu Parthasarathi and Krishna Idol of Vishnu 2024 Recovered Temples, Parthivapuram, Vilavancode, District Kanyakumari.Annexure II ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (d) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO 45FOR 20.07.2026 DETAILS OF THE RETRIEVAL OF ANTIQUITIES DURING THE LAST FIVE YEARS (UPTO 30 JUNE, 2026) Year Name of the Country Number of Antiquities 2021 UK 01 Canada 01 USA 157 2022 Australia 29 UK 01 2023 Australia 02 UK 07 USA 105 Italy 01 2024 Thailand 01 USA 297 2026 Australia 11 USA 02 Total 6 1 5 *****