Buxar: Archaeologists and heritage experts have raised concerns over the unsafe handling of Bihar’s antiquities, warning that several ancient idols and artefacts are lying neglected in police stations instead of being preserved in govt museums, in violation of existing laws and guidelines.“Three statues have been found in Bihar in the last three days — a Sun statue in Bodh Gaya, a Ganesh statue in Saharsa and a Vishnu statue in Kishanganj. By law, such relics should be kept in govt museums. I have written to the district magistrates concerned and the state archaeological director, but no action was taken, putting them at risk,” said Shiv Kumar Mishra, co-convenor of INTACH Bihar.However, on Friday evening, a Vishnu idol dating back to the Karnata period, recovered at Bahadurganj police station in Kishanganj district, was deposited at Bhagalpur Museum. Mishra said the Kishanganj district magistrate informed him of the development on Saturday.Members of the Bihar chapter of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) and other archaeologists said clear court directives are needed to ensure proper protection of idols and artefacts of historical importance. They said administrative and police officials often fail to maintain such antiquities properly, frequently citing pending court cases as the reason for delays.Experts said courts should direct authorities to shift antiquities from police malkhanas (property rooms) to govt museums for proper preservation. Under the Indian Treasure Trove Act, 1878, and provisions of the Bihar Police Manual, 1978, archaeological materials must be deposited in government museums rather than kept in police malkhanas. However, they said this rule is rarely followed.Due to negligence and lack of monitoring, many antiquities remain in police stations, making them vulnerable to theft and illegal trafficking.In one case in Bodh Gaya, police arrested smugglers carrying a Buddha idol. The idol was later deposited at the Gaya Museum, but several other artefacts are still lying in police stations across the state.At Bhagwanpur police station in Kaimur district, a Jain idol remained under a tree for nearly three decades and gradually became partly embedded in the trunk. The issue was later raised in the Bihar Legislative Council, after which the department of art, culture and youth affairs wrote to the district magistrate seeking action.Shiv Kumar Mishra, former in-charge of the Sitaram Upadhyay Museum in Buxar, said he had appealed to the Kaimur district magistrate and the superintendent of police to shift the idol to a museum. However, officials cited pending court proceedings, and the idol remains at the police station.Mishra said similar cases have been reported from several districts, including a Vishnu idol at Jale police station in Darbhanga, Shiva-Parvati idols at Andhramath police station in Madhubani, a Sun God statue at Sheikhpura police station, a Buddha statue at Deepnagar police station in Nalanda, and several idols at Lakhisarai police station.Other antiquities include punch-marked coins at Saraiya police station in Muzaffarpur, and artefacts along with an idol at Kadirganj police station in Nawada.Experts warned that unless clear legal directions and monitoring mechanisms are put in place, many historically important artefacts in Bihar will continue to remain at risk.
