‘Nearly 78 grams of gold missing’, ‘gold lamp replaced with silver’: Theft rocks Kerala's Padmanabhaswamy temple
Kerala news: According to Manorama News, a report submitted to the Home Department stated that nearly 78 grams of gold bars and coins offered to the temple by devotees were reported missing over the past few months.
AMID allegations of gold theft at the Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa Temple, another major shrine in Kerala has come under scrutiny.
A report submitted by the Director General of Police (DGP), Ravada A Chandrasekhar, highlighted instances of theft and major security lapses at the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple as well.
According to Manorama News, the report submitted to the Home Department stated that nearly 78 grams of gold bars and coins offered to the temple by devotees were reported missing over the past few months.
The report claimed that a multi-tiered gold lamp removed for maintenance was replaced with a silver substitute without any official records.
Similarly, the ‘Vaira Nama’, which had been installed inside the sanctum sanctorum, was removed for repair and has not been in place for the past six months.
Security lapses at the temple
The DGP's report further revealed that certain temple employees, security personnel, and associates of the royal family were bypassing mandatory security checks at the entrance.
It names certain individuals who frequently enter the temple premises without undergoing the required screening procedures, Manorama News reported.
“These individuals are reportedly close to Sri Aditya Varma and are also known to visit the Kowdiar Palace regularly,” the report stated.
The suggestion
The DGP's report took into account the alleged mismanagement and recommended that all gold and silver valuables, currently kept outside the vaults, be moved to a centralised strong room.
It also proposed that all valuable offerings made by devotees be properly documented and stored in designated lockers under strict police surveillance.
It also suggested strict adherence to security protocols, stating that no individual, “regardless of status or affiliation”, should be allowed to bypass mandatory screening procedures.
About Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple
Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple is one of the most famous Lord Vishnu Temples in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, and is believed to be one of the richest temples in the world.
According to an Economic Times report published in 2025, the temple possesses assets worth ₹1.2 lakh crore.
As per the temple's website, the origin of the Temple of Sree Padmanabhaswamy is lost in antiquity.
“ It is not possible to determine with any exactitude, from any reliable historical documents or other sources, as to when and by whom the original idol of Sree Padmanabhaswamy was consecrated. The Temple has references in Epics and Puranas,” the website reads.
