Indian customs authorities claimed to have seized 25 antique idols valued at Rs 35.3 crore, which were being smuggled to Bangladesh from West Bengal.

Acting on a tip-off, personnel from the Department of Customs searched a truck near Kaliyagunj in South Dinajpur district bordering Bangladesh carrying paddy on the night of August 23 and found the antiquities hidden inside, reports our New Delhi correspondent, quoting a senior official of the Preventive Wing of the department.

This was one of the biggest seizures of antique idols in recent times, customs department said in a statement issued late on Tuesday night.

However, the truck driver fled as soon as the truck was stopped by the customs.

Of the 25 seized antique idols, seven stone idols are of Goddess Parbati, Manasha Devi, Lord Vishnu and Lord Surya, seven metallic artefacts made of bronze and alloy besides 11 terracotta idols, according to the statement.

The seized antiques belong to a period of time ranging from 9th century to 16th century, it added.

The custom officials took the assistance of experts of Akshaya Kumar Maitreya Heritage Museum under the University of North Bengal located in Siliguri to determine the estimated value of the antiques.

In January this year, customs officers had seized seven antique idols worth Rs 11 crore.