THIS is with reference to the report `The curious case of the disappeared paintings` (Sept 19), which narrated the heart-wrenching tale of art theft. A post shared by a friend on social media also caught my attention, where the painter, Seffy Soomro, poured his heart out about the injustice he suffered.

Seffy, a fine arts student at the University of Sindh, had produced paintings that touched many a heart. His artistic work was showcased at Karachi`s Frere Hall, including the image seen above.

However, his labour of love vanished into thin air. The theft was no petty crime; it was a sophisticated heist. The artist was simply told that the paintings had gone `missing`. Seffy realised he had been duped and lie d to, but he remained mum, as art theft is commonplace in the country.

However, the paintings resurfaced on a private television channel`s drama serial recently, exposing the culprits` web of deceit. Once Seffy posted his reaction on social media platforms, he received a lot of support, forcing the authorities to take up the matter officially.

What is now needed is a transparent investigation which should identify and punish the culprits, and return the artwork to the artist, who is the rightful owner.

Riaz Ali Panhwar Hyderabad