Srinagar: Budgam district police have recovered a 1,200 year old sculpture of Goddess Durga in Central Kashmir on Tuesday, said officials. The police on specific information recovered the ancient sculpture from the Khan Sahab area in Budgam district.

According to the police sources a team of officials from the Department of Archives, Archaeology and Museums and J&K government, were called for examination of the recovered sculpture in Budgam. It was revealed that the recovered sculpture dated between 7^th & 8^th AD. The sculpture is 12″x8″ in size, carved in a black stone with goddess Durga seated on a lion throne along with four attendants.

The sculpture was first retrieved on August 13 from River Jhelum at Pandthrethan area of Srinagar by the labourers while extracting sand. The recovered sculpture was handed over formally to Mushtaq Ahmad Beigh, Deputy Director, Department of Archives, Archaeology and Museums by Tahir Saleem Khan, SSP Budgam, in the presence of police and civil officials after fulfilling all the legal formalities.