400-year-old Quran seized from Kerala smuggler

Bangalore, Mar 7 (UNI) The CCB police today seized a 400-year-old copy of the Holy Quran, valued at Rs five crore, and a rare painting of Thanjavur King Sarfoji and arrested a smuggler from Kerala here.

Police Commissioner N Achyuta Rao said the handwritten Quran, which had the signature of Moghul Emperor Aurangazeb in every page, was applied with different perfumes in each of its pages. The pages of the 13 kg Quran also had a special coating, making it fire-resistant.

The framed three-dimensional painting, which measured four ft in height and weighed nearly 140 kg, portrayed the 18th century king in the company of his Prime Minister.

Mr Rao said the arrested, identified as N G Sukumaran, was trying to sell the artifacts to some overseas customers at an estimated price of Rs five crore, when police trapped him.

''We would send the Quran to the Archaeology Department to ascertain its authenticity,'' he added.

UNI