A Buddha idol made of of Astadhatu (an alloy of eight metals) was seized and a man arrested on the charge of smuggling the antique piece in Balangir district on Sunday.
On a tip-off, a police team rushed to the Harishankar Chowk here when four persons were going by two motorbikes. However, three of them managed to flee from the spot while one was caught by the police and the idol seized, the police said.
The idol, weighing about five kg, is considered quite valuable in the international market. Interrogation is on to know about involvement of others, if any, in the trade.
Earlier, two persons had been arrested on March 16 and a Buddha idol with antique value was seized while being smuggled out of the district.