Sabarimala gold theft: Ex-temple board chiefs arrested

India Nov 20, 2025

Big news from Kerala—A Padmakumar, former head of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), was arrested on Thursday over the Sabarimala gold theft case.
Investigators say the case is about missing gold from temple fixtures, linked to a 2019 proposal for electroplating gold-clad copper plates during Padmakumar's time in charge.

More arrests and growing controversy

Padmakumar insists the deal happened after his term, but officials disagree.
His successor, N Vasu, was also taken in for questioning the same day, which sparked protests outside court.
With these two added, six people have now been arrested as police try to track down the missing temple gold—a scandal that's prompting scrutiny over the management practices at Sabarimala.