Additional Sabarimala Dwarapalaka peedam traced from house of sponsor's relative

Pathanamthitta (Kerala) | The Vigilance wing of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) has recovered another peedam (pedestal) of the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idols at the Sabarimala temple from the residence of a sponsor’s relative in Thiruvananthapuram, officials said on Sunday.

A team led by TDB Vigilance and Security Superintendent of Police Sunil Kumar V traced the peedam to the house of a relative of sponsor Unnikrishnan Potty at Venjaramoodu on Saturday.

The existence of the additional gold-plated peedam came to light after Potty in 2019 claimed that he had donated an additional peedam, which is no longer seen at Sabarimala.

The revelation came to the notice of the Kerala High Court, which later ordered an investigation into the incident.

Sabrimala Vigilance team then checked the TDB strong room at Aranmula, but could not trace the peedam.

The issue resurfaced when the Kerala High Court bench recently ordered a probe, noticing a reduction in the weight of the gold-clad copper plates of the Dwarapalakas.

Sources said the peedam had actually been kept at the residence of one of Potty’s workers. “After media reports about the missing peedam, the worker informed Potty that it was in his custody. It was then shifted to the house of Potty’s relative in Venjaramoodu,” sources said.

During a recent interrogation, the worker confessed to having the peedam in his possession, which eventually led to its recovery, they added.

Confirming the development, Vigilance SP Sunil Kumar told PTI that, “We have recovered the peedam and shifted it to Sabarimala. A detailed report will be filed before the Kerala High Court on Monday when it considers the case.”

TDB President P S Prasanth also confirmed the recovery. “It was after a detailed investigation by our Vigilance team that the peedam was traced. As the case is before the court, further details cannot be revealed at this time,” he told PTI.