Sabarimala gold theft case: Devaswom Board’s 2025 plan to remove and repair door frames and temple doors raises questions
Sabarimala — Following the dismantling of the Dwarapalaka sculpture panels, the Devaswom Board headed by P. S. Prasanth in 2025 had also planned to remove the door frame panels and the temple door to carry out repair work.
This decision was taken at a time when controversy was already intensifying over the removal of the Dwarapalaka sculpture without informing the Special Commissioner and sending it to Smart Creations in Chennai for gold plating. The Board also decided in its meeting to seek permission from the High Court for this work. The repair proposal was justified on the grounds that a few screws on the door had become loose and that when the door was closed, gaps remained, which could allow pests such as rats and insects to enter the inner areas.
It was also argued within the Board that the defects could only be properly assessed after bringing a sculptor and dismantling the door for inspection. A report on this matter was submitted to the Board by Murari Babu, the then Deputy Devaswom Commissioner and an accused in the case, who has since passed away. The Special Investigation Team (SIT), a few days earlier, had informed the High Court that the 2025 Board had acted with undue haste in the incident involving the removal and transport of the gold-plated panels of the Dwarapalaka sculpture to Chennai, and that there had been administrative lapses.
There is no information that a devaprasnam was conducted to seek the deity’s permission before the repair or removal of the panels and doors.
In connection with the case, the SIT is also adding the Board headed by P. S. Prasanth to the list of accused. The SIT has informed the court that a total of nine persons will be named as accused. The members of the 2025 Board were P. S. Prasanth (CPI(M)), A. Ajikumar (CPI), and P. Santhosh Kumar (CPI(M)). Santhosh Kumar is also currently a member of the present Board.