Sabarimala Gold Theft: How Temple Officials Enabled A Priest To Strip Sacred Idols And Walk Away

With little over a week to go for the two-month annual Mandalam-Makkaravilakku pilgrimage season, Ayyappa devotees have a bittersweet feeling.

While eagerly looking forward to their journey through the picturesque hills of Pathanamthitta, to have darshan of Lord Ayyappa in Sabarimala, the bhaktas are also dismayed by the shocking revelation that a large quantity of gold donated to the temple has been stolen.

Former temple priest Unnikrishnan Potti, who was entrusted with the task of repairing the gold plating on the idols of the Dwarapalakas, chose to betray that sacred trust. What should have been an act of devotion became an act of deceit.

That this was done allegedly with the connivance of the officials of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), the government body which administers the temple, has only increased their anger.

Modus Operandi: How the Gold Was Siphoned Off

In 2019, the Travancore Devaswom Board decided to repair the gold plating on the Dwarapalaka idols. Potti stepped forward as a sponsor and arranged for the work to be carried out through a Chennai-based company.

After the repairs, the idols were returned to Sabarimala and reinstalled following the customary rituals. For years, nothing seemed amiss.

But during an inspection in September this year, a special commissioner appointed by the Kerala High Court discovered that the gold plating on the idols had been removed and sent to Chennai. Without permission. The Board admitted the lapse, prompting the Court to order a detailed probe.

The investigation revealed that when the idols were returned in 2019, the gold plating weighed over four kilograms less than before, and shockingly, no inquiry had been conducted at the time.

The case took a further twist when investigators recovered a gold-plated pedestal used for the Dwarapalakas from the home of Potti’s sister. The finding led the Court to direct the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to uncover the full extent of the theft.

What has the SIT done so far?

The SIT moved swiftly once the case was handed over. Alongside Potti, several temple officials were arrested for their suspected involvement. Those in custody include Murari Babu, the former administrative officer; Sudheesh Kumar, the former executive officer; and K S Baiju, the former commissioner for sacred ornaments.

Two FIRs have been registered. One for the theft from the Dwarapalaka idols and another concerning similar irregularities in the gold plating of the temple door earlier that year.

So far, the team has seized 576 grams of gold—400 grams from a jeweller in Ballari and 176 grams from Potti’s home in Bengaluru. Investigators believe this is only a part of what was siphoned off and continue to track the missing gold and money trails linked to the operation.

How the Opposition reacted

As the probe widened and arrests mounted, political tempers flared.
The Opposition alleged that the scandal could not have occurred without the knowledge of the LDF government, demanding the resignation of Devaswom Minister VN Vasavan.

The UDF disrupted Assembly proceedings and announced a Viswasa Samrakshana Yatra, a “Faith Protection March”, to raise awareness about the issue.

The BJP, meanwhile, demanded a central agency probe and a CAG audit of all Devaswom boards in Kerala. It also launched a signature campaign seeking the Prime Minister’s intervention. Party president Rajeev Chandrasekhar wrote a letter detailing these demands to Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

What the Court Has Said

Even as political protests intensified, the Kerala High Court maintained close oversight of the investigation.

During a hearing on 5 November, the court directed the SIT to conduct a scientific investigation to determine how the gold was misappropriated during the repair and re-plating process.

It also instructed the team to examine whether TDB officials involved could be tried under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, making clear that accountability should extend beyond the immediate culprits.

Also Read: Democracy Or Devalaya Dharma: Why A Garland Maker's Appointment In A Kerala Temple Has Left Hindus Divided