Bringing Down India’s Biggest Art Thief | Bloomberg Investigates

In a remote village temple in India, a gang of thieves pulled off a daring heist of some of the nation's most precious cultural heritage. Two citizen detectives joined forces to bring down the mastermind behind one of the biggest art thefts in history.
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[@garvitdhingra5687]

I am usually really disapointed by US or British documentaries about India but I am actually really Impressed. Amazing work please make more I think there is a huge market for content like this.

[@siddhartsinghrajput5319]

We don't use CRT TVs anymore

[@lajwantishahani1225]

I have covered this subject in great detail in 2022 including an interview with Vijay Kumar.

[@vivekpmc1992]

Huge market ??? In that case " what will be the maket value of KABA Stone of macca ??"

[@lajwantishahani1225]

​@@vivekpmc1992he's talking about value for such content. There are some videos on KZbin about the Kaba too but for most Indians bringing back our stolen gods are more important.

[@slendabruh1594]

@@vivekpmc1992 Great question, I'm sure we could see great figures on that particular item.

[@LILSLB]

I really thought this was a video on British museum

[@Xiquinhodasilva99]

Bloomberg is on their side they wouldn't do that ahahahahha

[@bahhaidebbarma8854]

Cry Bro Cry! Always look to the past and not talk anything of the present case and will not let anyone speak too😂

[@RohitSharma-oh8qm]

@@bahhaidebbarma8854 what are you on about?

[@Anonymous-8080]

@@bahhaidebbarma8854 isn't this documentary about ancient idols? Do you expect about Israel- Palestine or Russia -Ukraine in the comment section?

[@varun2250]

​@@bahhaidebbarma8854You just proved yourself wrong in the single comment you made.

[@MR-xl5ni]

Shame on the art museums buying India 's treasured and revered idols and art without questioning. When they are presented with the truth they conveniently doubt the truth for fear of losing the artifacts. Greed is 'the' factor here.

[@amamgain753]

They are stolen bcz indian govt don't sell them

[@eisssloe1566]

However art museums are the safest place to guard valuable items.

[@lailarafiq123]

@@eisssloe1566 We never know when it is stolen from there .

[@chaithuHollywood]

@@eisssloe1566 logically right

[@Jaxteller-c5j]

​@@eisssloe1566ya from theifs or for theifs?

[@devendrawarke1571]

I used to ride around Southern India to visit Ancient Temples and Ruins for the love of History. There had been many many instances when we reached a remote ruin that was nothing but an empty chamber, we used to think this might have been a case of destruction by invaders but it was'nt just them who ruined our history and present but it is also these petty criminals like kapoor who are slowly eroding our culture and history. Thank you to people like Mr Vijay for helping us get these artifacts back

[@ripsanskrit3609]

😢

[@lailarafiq123]

Who looted the gold from the temple in Kerala . I think it is padmanaswamy temple ? - the Gandhis and their cronies - can you think of any other?

[@srinivasanpartha3826]

You missed Honest IPS Officer Pon Manickavel, he brought back many idols and being a devout Hindu, he made sure the idols are back in respective Temples and not in Museums. Due to his efforts 1000s of idols were recovered. But he was punished by the bureaucracy for his honesty and tales were spun and he retired without claiming any glory for his efforts.

[@anbanTamil]

🤣😂 Actually, he helped thieves escape

[@Spr-no9oy]

Eternal doomsdayers of TN you cant give credit where it is due ....isnt it​@@anbanTamil

[@TusharRoy01]

​@@anbanTamil do you have any proof of that? Because wikipedia says otherwise.

[@varun2250]

​​@@mvstermlndthat's why indigenous temples need to get out of control of the government. They say India is a constitutional secular country but the government interferes with every aspect of the indigenous Sanatani Hindu temple.

[@KK-cl6ki]

​@@varun2250 these are saivam , vainavam related temples and have nothing to do with sanatan

[@sebastiangruenfeld141]

The biggest thief of Indian art is the British Museum

[@ishangaikwad8821]

truly said 👏

[@sandrei2992]

you think indians could have taken care of their art?

[@gregoryturk1275]

@@sandrei2992Not that your point is invalid, but would you like to have Buckingham palace moved to the Indian National museum?

[@the13nth25]

​@@sandrei2992The people who actually made and took care of those items for thousands of years are now suddenly not capable to take care of them?

[@fitoordigitalhouse-zl6ee]

@@the13nth25the statues and idols that are in temple are secretly stolen by politician and selling it to foreign .. as temples are under govt control , and no can in this nation question the politicians and people connected to them

[@MAC-vi7fy]

Its not the "idol" rather the murthi that's important. Its what is stands for that is. Its a symbol of the community, the culture, the history and the sense of belonging for the place.

[@ripsanskrit3609]

Yeah

[@nabeelmohammedca]

"Idol" is the English word for "murthi".

[@Pihu523]

More like Pratima than just murti.

[@JoeRogansForehead]

So why does it matter if literally anything else you can say stands for the same . If it’s not the statue itself , why does it matter

[@AmanKumar-is5jb]

bro use 'vigrah' bol 'murti' bolke apman mat kr

[@FoodConnoisseurCook]

British Museum is basically indian chor bazar 2.0

[@phaddu7737]

Its Londonistan now.

[@harsha2993]

@@FoodConnoisseurCook no one should say london Just say Loot Ton.

[@dangerworld723]

the biggest thief of INDIA is the political bas**s who put f** tax on everything unnecessarily 🤬

[@bahhaidebbarma8854]

Cry Bro Cry! Always look to the past and not talk anything of the present case and will not let anyone speak too😂

[@dyalsaraswati3915]

ITS HAPPENED FROM 18CENTURY WHEN BUDHISTS TRUE HISTORY REVEALED. THAN FROM NORTH TO SOUTH INDIA BUDHISTS STATUE EITHER STOLEN FROM TEMPLE OR THEY CUT ITS PARTS.

[@6Abhi9]

The fact that he was Indian himself is really saddening

[@satyamskillz]

After the kidnappers cut his ear and he left the country, he was not Indian anymore.

[@ripsanskrit3609]

Money makes gods shakes

[@ssuwandi3240]

And you asked for Inclusion with him bahaha😊

[@bluntbob6723]

So unfortunate

[@RojaJaneman]

Empires always fall from within. That’s y a healthy culture is crucial for a community. When ur progeny doesn’t respect u or their ancestry anymore, end is near. Especially for them.

[@starks8970]

Tamilnadu government don't do anything regarding this issue

[@rohitrahamatker192]

May be this government supported the thief

[@iXpress]

DMK people care more for Churches

[@Indicthoughts898]

Taminadu govt wants to destroy Hinduism

[@deeptobhattacharyya3249]

Thats not the dravidian way, giving temple land to other religious (psuedo real estate/land mafia) organization is the way of TN govt

[@ripsanskrit3609]

​@@deeptobhattacharyya3249 don't spread false information out of ur as. Tamilnadu government literally have temple preserving department which actively works on preserving old temple. Just because u see some bs video of temples being destroyed because they are illegal build now. Dravidian politics has nothing to do with one religion over other. Dravidian politics is a non religious politics but not atheist politics, first understand that.

[@TheAhamedabdul]

Then what do we call The British Empire 🤣

[@sebastiangruenfeld141]

$40 trillion stolen from the Indian people, not to mention the geopolitical problems the partition has caused. Once India is a super power, it should force the UK to pay it all back.

[@fuzzyspackage]

Maybe you should pay uk royalties for creating India

[@ItiankShorts]

UK created India? Thats a new one​@@fuzzyspackage

[@albertjose8879]

Urgh what to do with delusional angloss

[@fthv4325]

@@ItiankShortsthe British literally did create India what are you on about. Never in history has there ever been a single "India" under a single ruler. Not even during Ashoka’s time and that was over 2000 years ago. I’d be embarrassed if I were that confident being so wrong.

[@Meandbroafter2]

Golden work Bloomberg

[@geetanauth6491]

The best reporting

[@sarthakmohanty1006]

Why don't we have more media outlets in India having a similar percentage of such investigative reports as Bloomberg/FT/WSJ?

[@ripsanskrit3609]

They even made one on modi

[@yqgowda]

Dont be fool, they r trying to make fool of Indians that he is the main culprit. They try to mask their own mistakes.. They wont report if it doesnt support their narrative

[@rahulsls]

👍

[@koushik5437]

"ONE PILLAGED IDOL IS TOO MANY ...." what a statement ...kudos to him

[@deepakkamath7513]

Salutes to all investigators from India and the US

[@kaycey7361]

South india is the treasure chest of india. SOUTH indian art is so beautiful.❤

[@dnd-yd2uu]

south INDIA

[@VideosbySachin]

North India has been looted for thousands of years by different kings. They used to come, loot gold and other expensive things so go back to their country. On the other hand, South India looted when Britishers arrived. That's why most of the temples are still standing in the South so the idles.

[@Mahadevan760]

There was also a top politician involved, in smuggling antiquities, via Tamil Nadu Airport.

[@katze007]

Expose his name please 🙏🏽

[@Zlzo1613]

Dmk Stalin 😂

[@Zlzo1613]

@@katze007dmk stalin 😂

[@katze007]

@@Zlzo1613 not surprised 😳😩 Stalin is a curse to Tamil Nadu! Hope Tamil Nadu people realise that sooner than later.

[@MrRaghavann]

sudalai thev...ya payan..😂😂

[@LeJahLuv]

I honestly thought it was a documentary on the british museum

[@gwenhardie]

This is so sad. People in the western world wouldn't want people looting their churches and selling religious treasures to art collectors and museums. Why do they not show the same respect for other religions and cultures?

[@DeepakKumar-bs3kx]

monotheistic mindset is the real reason

[@busy_bee2276]

Hypocricy. The word derive it's meaning from west itself. If they change their intrinsic nature, the meaning of the word would change right.!! They just don't want to rob "hypocrisy" of its meaning n that's why they are becoming more and more of a hypocrite.

[@UncleBuZ]

Your concern is indeed a valid one, but it’s rather oversimplified and lacks context. While it’s true that looting and the illicit trade of cultural artifacts are condemnable acts regardless of the region, the issue isn’t as black-and-white as you present it. Firstly, many Western institutions are actively involved in returning artifacts to their countries of origin. This process, known as repatriation, reflects a growing recognition of the need to respect and restore cultural heritage. The British Museum, for example, has been involved in discussions to return the Elgin Marbles to Greece. Secondly, your comparison assumes a monolithic "Western world" that uniformly disrespects other cultures, which is simply not accurate. There are countless scholars, activists, and ordinary citizens in the West who are dedicated to preserving and respecting the cultural heritage of all societies. Lastly, it's essential to acknowledge the complex histories and legalities surrounding many of these artifacts. Some were acquired during colonial times under vastly different international laws and power dynamics. While this doesn't justify the initial acquisition, it complicates the modern process of repatriation. So, while the sentiment behind your statement is understandable, the reality is more nuanced. Respect for cultural heritage is a global issue, and it requires thoughtful dialogue and cooperation, not broad generalizations.

[@UncleBuZ]

@@DeepakKumar-bs3kx And who told you that?? The assertion that a "monotheistic mindset" is the root cause of the disrespect for other religions and cultures oversimplifies the issue. While religious and cultural biases can play a role, the situation is far more complex, involving historical, political, and economic factors. Historically, colonialism and imperialism have been significant drivers of artifact looting and cultural disrespect, motivated by power dynamics rather than purely religious ideologies. European colonial powers, often driven by economic gain and a desire to assert dominance, systematically appropriated cultural artifacts from their colonies. This was not exclusively driven by a monotheistic worldview but by a broader context of exploitation and control. Economically, the art market has long fueled the demand for cultural artifacts, with collectors and museums in the West willing to pay high prices for looted treasures. This is more a reflection of market dynamics and the commodification of culture than a specific religious mindset. Politically, the repatriation of artifacts is often hampered by legal and bureaucratic hurdles, which can be influenced by but are not solely determined by religious ideologies. Many Western countries have legal frameworks in place to address these issues, but the process is slow and complicated by the need to verify provenance and navigate international law. Moreover, respect for other cultures and religions is not universally absent in the West. Many Western scholars, activists, and institutions actively advocate for the preservation and return of cultural heritage. Efforts like UNESCO’s campaigns and various international agreements aim to protect and repatriate cultural property, demonstrating a commitment to global cultural respect. Therefore, while a monotheistic mindset may contribute to cultural biases, it is not the sole or even primary reason for the complex issue of artifact looting and cultural disrespect. A thorough understanding requires examining historical, economic, and political contexts alongside any religious influences.

[@StudyGlobal-d1b]

As Christianity is main problem

[@InternetExplorer-137x]

This is Bloomberg Originals Gold. I would like to see more such documentaries.

[@bprmel]

Got Goosebumps 👌what a pioneering work. Time for central government to form an apex body to work with this probono workers. Provide money, legal support and police to bring back history 🙏great work 🌟

[@urbanstrencan]

What a operation, really started thinking about how many museums and galleries have stolen items in them

[@MariAmmaSar]

I saw the looted NataRaja - Dancing Shiva at the National Gallery in Canberra, Australia and exclaimed to my wife that it is was a sacrilege to have this magnificent bronze idol displayed to unbelieving pagans nonchalantly passing by. My excitement caught the attention of the guards standing nearby. The statue ultimately returned by the National Gallery to the Indian Govt after a great deal of wrangling, to me, looks like a miniature copy of the original. It is a FAKE.

[@A.l.tecchz]

Thanks bloomberg for covering this....

[@jimsteinberg9291]

Fascinating and original journalism. Thx

[@dipanmondal5926]

Well done, Bloomberg. But why you have not shown the British museum?😢

[@mahendirandamodaran3734]

You forgot about an important IPS high official Pon Manickavel, he spearheaded the investigation of idol theft and worked hard to bring them back to where it belongs (in our Temples and Museums)

[@nikashhara6374]

I will say that Kai Schultz's understanding of "ignorance" is incredibly motivated by materialism and commodification of spiritual art. Its not that smugglers are "preying on (rural people's) that ignorance"; the smugglers are pushed by American money to steal icons that are considered to beyond material! Bloomberg, please make sure to remember how global asymmetries of power work! I know this is nitpicky, but its important to honor and remember that this isnt just art; its our community-based knowledge and tradition; it doesnt matter if local worshippers know if the icon could sell for 2 mill USD - they are priceless.

[@TusharRoy01]

Very nuanced take.

[@ThousandsThoughts-si4mt]

Exactly they are passing the buck by blaming this on theives rather then the mastermind the us, australia uk

[@Tipheret]

Excellent point. So much of the media is funded by colonizer's money that it is hard to come to a balance.

[@thebeautifulanimal]

If you steal ancient artifacts, there will be unimaginable consequences.

[@JoeRogansForehead]

Idk , even in the US if you dig up something and steal it you only get a few years .

[@sriharshacv7760]

American coverage is generally a bit more human compared to the British coverage of foreign countries.

[@pranayshetty7500]

Change the title of this video ->Second Biggest Art Thief because the British Museum holds the first position

[@TheGrimStoic]

That's spoils of war, mate - totally legit. As the Chief Curator once said - "We've just borrowed these - we'll return them in a millennia or two. Not Kohinoor, of course - that we broke, so we'll have to keep it."

[@vidya198326]

Selvaraj Sir ..donno if u remember me ..I used to work for Times with Sripriyas team along with Shanthini Classifieds..so glad that I have interacted with u . And so thrilled to see u in this video . I have read Vijay sirs book and it's n eye opener .Have u also helped him in nabbing Subhash Kapoor ?

[@greatbalance]

Very well-made documentary. A well-rounded combination of interviews, footage of the temples, a small but beautiful dance number. I'm glad Bloomberg is treating such subjects related to Indian culture and Hinduism with the respect and sympathetic concern that they deserve. I'm glad to have learned about Mr. Vijay Kumar and his selfless dedication, and also the concern and diligence shown by the US authorities.

[@kallidaiviramani5885]

A song written by Sri Lakshmipathi of Kallidaikuichi about the recovery from Adelade Art Gallery of a stolen idol from his village temple was recently sung by Vid. Sikkil Gurucharan.

[@yorkiesweetpea23]

I get so angry, it's so maddening! These are beyond sacred.

[@sutats]

17:20 Geez Louise. That little but hugely significant detail.

[@nivedvasukuttan7633]

What are the museums doing is also aiding these criminals

[@snigdhendu]

Vijay Kumar! You’re awesome.

[@syewhy8070]

The fact they were gluing the lock shows they knew what they were doing and the spiritual significance of the idols as well. They are clearly remorseless, I am glad they did not get to make more "business" out of their ignorance. 🙏💐🌹

[@rvind000]

Indian judiciary took over a decade to convict such a big smuggler. It's a shame.

[@ItiankShorts]

Every country should preserve its history and be proud of it. And not be like China and Afganistan who destroyed their history themselves.

[@somerandomfella]

If Australia returned all of its stolen items, all it would have left is a meat pie and Koala.

[@holyromanemperor420]

What did Australia do?

[@somerandomfella]

@@holyromanemperor420 ask the Aboriginals..

[@ShreyasBharadwaj]

Breaks my heart 💔 It’s just one of the hundreds of Subhash that is caught. Most of the smugglers are never caught or punished for systematically looting a living civilization.

[@Fun_and_Knowledge_]

23:30 We are worshiping Idols for thousands of years & museums want those Idols

[@AbeKebe99]

Why is it so important for the non-followers of the faith to loot these artefacts? I don't get it

[@ripsanskrit3609]

Money bish

[@katze007]

Yup so imagine how priceless those artefacts are that was created many centuries ago by our great ancestors that the westerners were looting right, left and centre right under our nose🙏🏽🇮🇳🩷greedy people will pay for the consequences!!!!

[@AbhiMoz]

money

[@light_of_dharma]

These idols were concreted with divine mantras in temples. They have destroyed sanctity of it

[@wizardeejay]

It's sad most of these idols are prayed to daily and now they sit in a billionaire's housr or stashed somewhere just for value

[@joshuauhe6322]

Can almost guarantee that the Dancing Shiva from Suthamalli is in some Australian politician house/holiday house, can almost guarantee it never actually left the country

[@booksquotes948]

Excellent documentary. 😊

[@parthkapoor96]

Amazing work Bloomberg!

[@ratdoto2148]

Museums should have the right to make copies, not keep originals. Even making a copy is intrusive enough.

[@FictionChannelIN]

Thanks Bloomberg for covering this ❤

[@Pbav8tor]

I can't afford travel. The only way i get to learn about these things is by watching documentaries like this one. I prefer antiquities in situ and well curated. I like small local museums. With local docents. I learn so much more. It's kind of funny that archaeology started as looting. It's a great assistance in erasing human history.

[@surajpanicker1938]

This is the best documentary ever!!!!

[@arunkumarrengasamy1324]

Bloomberg neengala!!!!

[@BharatUIMe]

Salute this man Vijay, more power to him.

[@Oscar-gp8em]

GREED! Apparently 5 million was not enough!

[@lajwantishahani1225]

As a goodwill gesture all the museums should return these stolen idols to India, beginning with the British Museum which had *taken* a lot of our treasured antiques. The BM, Louvre and the Met museum of New York among others had taken away most of the archaeological artifacts from all ancient civilizations, ostensibly for research. As for protecting these idols, now that people in India are aware of their treasures we are capable of ensuring their security. Besides, for us these are not just articles, they are our gods!

[@TheRamg75]

26 Minutes of Documentary and Google made it as an 40 minutes program

[@arindambaisya]

Bloomberg. Thank you.

[@sahithya.v3831]

@7:16 vithya arasu ! A pleasant surprise 😀

[@aadityachourasia2124]

Subramanian swamy talked about this idol robbery many years ago

[@MichealSmith-q4y]

Thankyou to every single investigator for all the hard work you put in recovering these prescious idols🙏🙏

[@yarlagaddasatyanarayana4072]

Thank you

[@SuganthanHarmless]

Thank you Bloomerg for this.

[@Lets_Be_Real_UK]

I came here thinking this is about the British Empire and the loot held in British Museum. Unsurprising Bloomberg doesn't have the integrity to cover that.

[@xavier6956]

Thank you Bloomberg ❤

[@prakashbalram7328]

What a brilliant video I really appreciate the master piece 👏👏👏

[@Anonymous_in]

Thankyou for this documentary.❤

[@slendabruh1594]

Jeez, how do you think a foreigner that stole priceless Idols would hold up in an Indian prison?

[@katze007]

Nothing happens to such huge crimes committed by people like Subhas Kapoor!

[@pranayvijayakumar907]

Well directed documentary... Hats off

[@Joan-qe7gm]

Do you think that Kapoor also inflated the Indian antiquities market? They seem to suggest that putting a high price tag on the sculptures and marketing them in glossy brochure is what elevated their status. So, the museums don't really care what they are getting, they just see a high price tag and so want it. It's not even about the sculpture's value as religious iconography; it's just a statement piece.

[@amaduck2132]

Then again, most of those are REALLY old. And old things must be valued

[@rajkumarvelupillai1447]

When governments made of puppets and thieves a nation will loose all its ancient prosperity, values, traditions and wisdom. 😢 Tamil empires being destroyed and stolen across Indian subcontinent by many groups of thieves and some of the looters family remains in power to loot the remaining 😢

[@sumitpandey8604]

Such people can even trade their mother and daughters for sale of money.

[@animeshdas8375]

Excellent Work🎉

[@tarun-prakash]

An excellent documentary

[@Mryajurarora]

Great piece from Bloomberg!

[@abhisheklomsh]

Amazing work

[@unknownperson8541]

In the comments section, many people complain about the British Empire they failed to understand foreign inverter looting is natural what did you expect from them but mother India won son it was just sad 😢

[@aravindpm4513]

Your work marvellous

[@jchastain789]

Imagine you spend millions on art to have someone contact you to say its stolen....

[@onkard8]

Bring our Gods home

[@rakedh]

The present government in some states of South India is not very different to the looters. They turn a blind eye when it comes to preserving our cultural treasures

[@Quirkythrills90]

Yes !! A documentary about the biggest indian art and resource thief : British and its museums.

[@TheDavidlloydjones]

This story tells us about some thieves who got caught stealing brinze idols. Somehow they don't mention what happened to all the gld ones.

[@poodleinadoodle3270]

Come on guys! Most museums would be empty if they returned the stolen art they contain. Check British museums, Louvre museum etc.

[@Anonymous-fr2op]

I legit thought this was a documentary on the British

[@surabhifilms1430]

I know Rishi Sunak did a bad job, but he didn't bring down Britain

[@tusharbhosle5937]

Well done 👏

[@sanaksanandan]

I saw the title and thought it is about the British govt. 😃

[@COO415]

I'd like to see how Mr. Kapoor's lawyer argues for double jeopardy to escape prosecution and sentencing in the US courts after he served his term in Indian prisons. That's if can also escape another 70 year prison sentence in India. Yikes!. 😳

[@dlypgogoi4453]

Astounding !👍

[@James-yx5kz]

sonia gandgi was right behind these organisations and organised loot

[@greenphoenix17]

The National Gallery of Australia has since learned that the repatriated idol has once again immediately been looted from the wide open temple in some guys backyard & is currently en route to someone's private collection in the USA.

[@bernardkealey6449]

Nope. It is stored and curated by the government at a museum in Kumbakonam and is taken into Sripuranthan for festivals. The discovery that it had been looted was made when government curators went to transfer it from the abandoned temple for safe keeping and cultural display, which is a significant program that has been ongoing for decades. That doesn’t protects artefacts in temples which are in use, but that’s a different argument.

[@orchard-i8m]

Fascinating documentary!

[@CD89973]

Great video on the stolen Indian idols and Art 👏🙏

[@Littlefire71]

Lost in india found in London museums

[@scottloar]

Rail against the British Museum as you will but often visiting Hong Kong island in the early nineties stone statuary and stonework from India and Pakistan was commonplace in antique shops. These were not fakes, they had been stolen and sold.

[@dochsingh]

What about all the British museums? Aren't their artifacts stolen as well?

[@Mr_Amit]

When authorities do their work well, thank you 🙏

[@Macho98]

Video nicely done