Sabarimala temple gold theft: Chief priest arrested
Kandararu Rajeevaru, chief priest of Kerala's famous Sabarimala temple, was arrested for allegedly helping in a gold theft from the shrine.
Investigators say he let gold-plated copper plates be removed from the temple's sanctum back in January 2026, without telling the authorities—a move that broke both ritual rules and trust.
What happened and what's next
According to the Special Investigation Team, Rajeevaru allowed Unnikrishnan Potty (the main accused) to take these valuable plates out for "replating," but it's suspected this was actually a cover to divert temple gold.
He is one of more than 10 people arrested in this high-profile case.
Rajeevaru is in 14-day judicial custody, with his bail hearing set for January 13.
The Kerala High Court will review how the investigation is going on January 19 as officials keep digging into his financial links and decisions around the missing gold.