Customs Assistant Commissioner Pranesh Gupta said there was intelligence input about smugglers from Nepal trying to sneak into India with a precious idol.
"Accordingly, a team led by Customs superintendent R K Singh was constituted to nab the culprits. A trap was laid near the Chhoria canal, but the smugglers saw our team and fled after throwing away the idol," said Gupta.
"The estimated international price of the 11-kg idol would run into several crores of rupees. We have informed the Archaeological Survey of India about its recovery and their officials will assess its antiquity and value," Gupta added.