Suicide bares theft of heritage furniture

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 1

A recent “mysterious” theft of valuable heritage furniture — eight cushioned V-chairs and two tables — from a storeroom at the Le Corbusier Centre in Sector 19 here has raised questions about the seriousness of the Chandigarh Administration in protecting heritage items, that invariably find their way to auction houses abroad.

In the past, heritage furniture from the city has been sold at auction houses in Paris, New York and Chicago, and has fetched handsome amounts.

The “thieves” sneaked into the storeroom through a windowpane and fled with the booty after breaking open a door at the rear side of the centre, which is not properly guarded. Only one guard, hired from a private security agency, was deployed at the centre that has priceless heritage furniture, including a table used by Le Corbusier.

Ironically, the centre does not have CCTVs. The Director  of the Le Corbusier Centre, Deepika Gandhi, said CCTVs would be installed soon.

In all probability, the theft that took place at the centre on the night of September 23, would have got unnoticed had the suicide by Mohan Joshi, a Home Guards volunteer doubling as a private security guard at the centre, not led to a protest by his family, who alleged that the victim was being framed by the authorities in a theft case.

UT Home Secretary Anurag Aggarwal said the theft was a serious matter and he had asked for a report in this connection. “I will ask the IG to get the case properly investigated and track down the furniture. We are increasing security at the centre,” he said. Sources said junk dealers had been visiting the centre to buy discarded heritage furniture, but had failed to procure it.

UT Adviser Vijay Kumar Dev had in June last ordered recounting of the heritage inventory prepared by the Administration in 2011 and 2012. He had stated that if any item was found missing, strict action would be taken against the officials concerned.

Heritage chairs

Stolen heritage V-chairs have earlier been sold in auction houses abroad for anything between Rs 20,000 and Rs 1 lakh each. A number of similar chairs are still lying at the Le Corbusier Centre.

Auction houses make millions

In the past, auction houses abroad have made millions of dollars through the auction of the city’s heritage items, including furniture, tapestries and drawings. In 2010, the Ministry of Home Affairs had asked the UT Administration to submit details of auction of heritage items of Chandigarh by auction houses based abroad and the action taken by the UT to preserve heritage items in the city.

City has 12,793 heritage items

Items, including furniture, tapestry and drawings, which were designed, made and used by Le Corbusier, his cousin Pierre Jeanneret and others associated with the founding and planning of Chandigarh in the 1950s and 60s, come under the heritage category. Chandigarh has 12,793 heritage items designed by Le Corbusier or his team. According to a report, there are 190 categories of heritage items, including drawings, murals, tapestries, chairs and tables.