The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged theft of gold from the Sabarimala temple on Monday removed gold-clad casings from the sanctum sanctorum as part of a scientific examination.
The test, which follows a directive by the Kerala High Court, began soon after the temple closed for the Ucha Puja at 1 p.m.
The process of removing plates continued till 3 p.m. when the temple was reopened for rituals, an official said. The entire procedure was video-graphed and photographed.
The team led by Superintendent of Police S. Sasidharan has been camping at Sabarimala since Sunday for the examination. Besides police personnel, the team also comprises forensic experts and chemical analysts.
Devaswom smiths also assisted the team in removing the gold-clad plates from the side pillars, the pedestals of the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idols, and the door frames of the Sreekovil. The plates were then transferred to another room, where their weight was recorded and samples were collected for forensic analysis.
Sources said the plates will be reinstalled soon after the procedure.
Recently, the SIT had sought a permission from the High Court to conduct a scientific examination of the plates on the Dwarapalaka idols to determine the extent of gold loss following their electroplating in 2019. The court subsequently directed the SIT to weigh the Dwarapalaka idol plates and the side-pillar plates of the Sreekovil.
It also instructed the investigators to collect samples of the gold cladding to assess purity and quality, measure the surface area of the plates, and gather copper samples from the Dwarapalaka plates and door frames.
The samples collected from Sabarimala are now slated to undergo scientific analyses, including electrical conductivity, spectroscopic, and microstructure examinations.
Published – November 17, 2025 06:45 pm IST
