By Tenzin Monlam
DHARAMSHALA, June 6: The Delhi police arrested a Tibetan couple in Majnu Ka Tilla, the main transit point for Tibetans, after the police tracked down a 900-year-old idol of Terton Pema Lingpa, a Tibetan saint of the Nyingma school, which the couple stole and planned to sell for around INR 1.4 crore in the grey market.
Madhur Verma, DCP (Crime), who has identified the duo as Ngawang Tsundue (29) and Lobsang Gakey Sherpa (26), said, “It was on Sunday that a crime branch team received information that some people were trying to sell an ancient idol in Majnu Ka Tila and thereafter the idol would be smuggled into Tibet.”
Citing his informant Verma said that the Tibetan couple involved in the heist was spotted in the camp and accordingly the police laid a trap to nab them. The couple had reportedly stolen the idol and its attire 31 May.
Ngawang Tsundue, the prime culprit, was also the former son-in-law of the Head Cheepa (Lama) of Sangyeling Gompa, a monastery in Tawang and according to the police it was an act of vengeance following his divorce few months ago.
“In order to take revenge with Head Cheepa’s family, Tsundue decided to steal the idol for monetary gain and also to defame the head Cheepa,” said Verma after recovering the ancient idol.
Since Tsundue knew the house well from his time with the Cheepa’s family, he had convinced his current partner Sherpa to join him in the heist.
“They were aware that the Cheepa and his family would be visiting Kullu in the last week of May for a festival, leaving only an elderly woman at the house,” said the DCP.
Tsundue came to India in 2009-2010 and met with the daughter of Head Cheepa, which culminated into marriage in 2011 and divorce later.
