Customs officers assigned to the Amritsar Customs Preventive Commissionerate’s Land Customs Station in Attari seized an antique stone sculpture of Buddha dated 2-3 CE.
Attari, a foreign national who arrived in India via an integrated check post (ICP), was stopped and his luggage was examined. During the examination of his luggage, customs officers stationed at ICP Attari’s passenger terminal found a stone sculpture of Buddha.
Officers seized the sculpture on suspicion of being a prohibited item in the category of Antiquity.
The matter was referred to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) Chandigarh circle office. The ASI now issued a report confirming that the sculpture fragment appears to be Buddha of the Gandhara School of Art, tentatively dated to the 2nd or 3rd CE, and falls under the Antiquities and Art Treasure Act of 1972.
They have also stated that the main characteristics of such Gandhara School of Art idols are: flute hair, face of Buddha shown as crown prince, the idols of Buddha are of Black soft stone, which comes from Syat ghati, and the Gandhara Art is heavily influenced by Greeko-Roman Art.
The stone sculpture was seized in accordance with the Customs Act and the Antiquities and Art Treasure Act of 1972, and further investigation and action under the relevant Acts are being taken.
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