As lakhs of devotees gather at Sabarimala for the sacred Makaravilakku season, a controversy over missing temple gold has shaken Kerala and raised disturbing questions about faith, governance, and accountability.
The Sabarimala Gold Theft Case traces back to restoration work on gold-plated structures of the Lord Ayyappa temple, including the Dwarapalaka idols and Sreekovil, where investigators allege that gold was misappropriated under the cover of authorised repairs. What began as a vigilance inspection has now escalated into a full-fledged criminal investigation led by a Special Investigation Team, following directions from the Kerala High Court.
The probe has resulted in the arrest of priests, senior Travancore Devaswom Board officials, a former Board president, and even a serving Tantri, making it one of the most sensitive temple-related investigations in recent times. Investigators claim that gold-plated panels were allegedly sent out of state, chemically separated, and sold, while altered or replica panels may have been returned to the temple.
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