In an unprecedented and emotionally charged operation, a 20-member Special Investigation Team led by Crime Branch SP Sasidharan on Monday entered the heavily guarded sanctum sanctorum of Lord Ayyappa at Sabarimala and physically detached gold-clad plates from the dwarapalaka idols, side pillars, and door frames of the sreekovil. The move, executed between 1:15 pm and 3 pm after obtaining divine permission through traditional rituals and closure post-ucha pooja, marks the most dramatic phase yet in the ongoing investigation into the alleged multi-crore theft and adulteration of gold donated by millions of devotees.

Assisted by expert sculptors from the Travancore Devaswom Board, the team meticulously removed the gleaming plates under strict videography and photographic documentation to ensure transparency. Every gram was weighed on the spot, surface area measured, and representative samples carefully extracted for transfer to government forensic laboratories. The plates will remain in secure custody until purity and quantity tests are completed, after which they will be reinstalled exactly as they were, officials assured.

The Kerala High Court had issued explicit directives for this scientific examination following explosive revelations that large quantities of pure gold offered to the deity may have been systematically siphoned off and replaced with inferior alloy during the controversial 2019 electroplating contract. Sources indicate the SIT suspects a well-organised racket involving contractors, temple officials, and goldsmiths who allegedly exploited renovation work to pocket crores worth of the yellow metal meant for the Lord.

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Advanced forensic tests—including electrical conductivity analysis, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, and detailed microstructure examination—will now determine the exact gold content in the current cladding versus historical records of donations. Any significant shortfall could trigger arrests and expose one of the largest temple fraud cases in Kerala’s history, shaking the faith of the millions who queue for hours to offer gold at the eighteen holy steps.

With the pilgrim season in full swing and lakhs of devotees streaming into Sannidhanam daily, Monday’s operation—carried out under heavy security and in complete secrecy until the last moment—has sent shockwaves across the Ayyappa community, raising uncomfortable questions about how one of India’s wealthiest and most revered temples could have been vulnerable to such alleged sacrilege for years.

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