common Indian's feel proud of yourselves after reading this .

More idols from Tamil Nadu unearthed in U.S.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Manhattan District Attorney’s office have traced four of 18 idols stolen from Tamil Nadu, according to information available here. The investigation process involves a web of informers, secret recordings, and interception of mails.

According to a complaint filed by investigators in the Criminal Court of the City of New York, these four sculptures, valued at $14.5 million, were in the possession of Sushma Sareen, sister of Subhash Chandra Kapoor, the U.S.-based antiquities dealer now in jail in Chennai for his alleged role in the theft. Ms. Sareen, 60, was arrested and later released on bail.

This development has brightened the prospect of retrieving some of the idols stolen from Tamil Nadu over time and smuggled to the U.S. It also explicates the trail of the sculptures and Subhash Kapoor’s role.

The statement filed in court, which provides a detailed account of the investigation, were made available to The Hindu by Jason Felch of the Los Angeles Times, with whom this correspondent has been collaborating on the chase.

Between 2006 and 2008, about 18 ancient bronze sculptures were stolen from Suthamalli and Sripuranthan temples in Tamil Nadu. Among them were two of Nataraja and two of goddess Uma, all shipped to the U.S. Temple officials noticed the loss in the latter half of 2008, and filed a complaint with the local police. The Idol Wing of the Tamil Nadu police took over the investigation, traced Kapoor’s involvement and sought the help of Interpol to arrest him. Photographs provided by the French Institute of Pondicherry, which has been documenting temples in South India for decades, helped identify and trace the idols. Following a Red Corner Notice issued by Interpol, Kapoor was arrested in Germany and extradited to India in 2012.