SIT Examines Goddess Lakshmi-Engraved Prabhamandalam in Sabarimala Gold Theft Case
Sabarimala: In a significant development in the Sabarimala gold theft case, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) dismantled and examined the Prabhamandalam and the wooden panel above the sanctum sanctorum of the Sabarimala temple as part of its efforts to determine the exact quantity of gold allegedly missing before submitting its final report to the court.
The inspection was carried out after obtaining permission from the High Court. The Prabhamandalam, an ornamental arch-shaped structure mounted above the sanctum entrance and adorned with gold plating featuring an engraved image of Goddess Lakshmi, was removed for examination for the first time in the temple's history.
The Prabhamandalam is traditionally installed to enhance the grandeur and sanctity of the temple. While such structures are commonly made from wood or metal, the one at Sabarimala consists of a copper base covered with gold plating.
Although the wooden panel had been inspected earlier, officials decided to dismantle it again to verify its weight and other measurements. The panel located on the northern side of the sanctum entrance was removed and taken to a room near the office of the Sannidhanam Executive Officer, where SIT officials conducted a detailed assessment.
The SIT team arrived at Sannidhanam following the reopening of the temple for the Mithunam monthly pooja. While the team reached the shrine at around 5 p.m. on the day of the inspection, the removal process commenced only at 6.15 p.m. due to the delayed arrival of Devaswom Thiruvabharana Commissioner R. Rejilal.
The examination was conducted under the leadership of SIT chief and Superintendent of Police S. Sashidharan, with assistance from officials of the Legal Metrology Department and an expert brought in by the investigating team.
The gold theft case currently has 12 accused persons. All of them had secured statutory bail earlier after delays in the filing of the charge sheet. The second accused in the case, Murari Babu, passed away recently.
According to sources, inspections of other gold components at Sannidhanam had already been completed. Earlier attempts to examine the Prabhamandalam were abandoned due to concerns regarding the complexity of reinstalling it after removal.
Since November last year, the SIT has visited Sannidhanam multiple times to collect evidence related to the case. The charge sheet is now being prepared based on scientific examination reports obtained from the National Metallurgical Laboratory in Jamshedpur and the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre.
The SIT is expected to submit its final report before the court after completing the ongoing investigations and final verification procedures.