Sabarimala gold theft row: Youth Congress’ Vijay Induchoodan demands case against Kerala CM
(source : ANI) ( Photo Credit : ani)
The Pathanamthitta Youth Congress has taken a sharp stance against a long‑standing controversy at the Sabarimala temple, demanding police action and a full investigation.
Letter from the Youth Congress
Vijay Induchoodan, the district president of the Pathanamthitta Youth Congress, sent a letter to the Director General of Police and other officials. He asked police to register cases against several key figures: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Devaswom Minister V. N. Vasavan (who also serves as Minister for Cooperation and Ports), Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president P. S. Prasanth, and other TDB officials. The letter also named Unnikrishnan Potty, a former temple worker, as a suspect in the alleged theft of valuable items.
Induchoodan wants the police to investigate how the gold‑plated pedestals at the Lord Ayyappa temple appeared to have turned into copper, and to find out who was responsible for the alleged smuggling of the temple’s treasures.
Background on the gold‑plating dispute
The Sabarimala temple’s Dwarapalaka idols were gilded in 1999 under a project led by Chennai jeweller Nagarajan of JNR Jewellery. Artisans forged thin gold leaf onto copper plates and bonded them with mercury. The aim was to keep the gold plating intact for 40 years.
Shortly after the installation, cracks and defects surfaced. In 2019 the TDB removed the panels for repair, listed them as plain copper sheets in the records, and claimed that only 4.41 kg of gold had been retained when the panels returned. A whistle‑blower, Unnikrishnan Potty, alleged that the panels had become copper‑based with residual gold and were replated again at a Chennai firm.
Other allegations and calls for a probe
The controversy grew when records of a >30‑kg gold donation by industrialist Vijay Mallya (made in 1998) disappeared from the Sabarimala Executive Office. The TDB’s vigilance wing is currently investigating the disappearance of two copper‑gold‑leaf covered plaques donated in 2019, as well as missing documents related to Mallya’s donation.
On Friday, the opposition‑led United Democratic Front (UDF) urged a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into these irregularities. UDF convener Adoor Prakash said devotees deserve to know the truth about the temple’s handling of gold.
Why this matters
The gold‑plating controversy has shaken the faith community and raised questions about the management of one of India’s most sacred sites. The demand for police involvement and a CBI investigation reflects a broader call for transparency and accountability in Kerala’s political and religious institutions.
Searches for “Sabarimala gold plating theft”, “Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan”, and “Travancore Devaswom Board investigation” continue to rise as the case unfolds. The outcome could set a new precedent for how temple assets are managed and protected in the state.
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