A testing 2025 for Kerala's public faith, environment; political fortunes swing

Thiruvananthapuram: The year 2025 proved to be a testing and emotional period for Kerala, marked by events that deeply affected public faith and environmental concerns, while there were changes in political fortunes and major legal developments.

One of the most significant developments of the year emerged from Sabarimala, the revered pilgrimage centre, over a gold loss row.

The Kerala High Court found evidence suggesting that the sacred Dwarapalaka idols at the hill shrine had been stripped of part of their gold covering. The finding sent shockwaves through crores of Ayyappa devotees in India and abroad, raising serious questions about temple security and management.

A local court delivered its verdict in the sensational 2017 actress sexual assault case, acquitting actor Dileep and three others, while convicting six accused.

The Congress-led UDF saw the voter preference swing towards it in the local body polls, with BJP also making significant in-roads, just months ahead of the crucial 2026 Assembly elections.

This was the second political setback for the LDF during the year. Earlier in June, the opposition UDF wrested the Nilambur Assembly constituency from the LDF.

In the Sabarimala issue, court records showed that more than 30 kg of gold donated by a business group in the late 1990s had been used to cover idols and parts of the temple. In 2019, two Dwarapalaka idols were removed for re-cladding and later returned without being weighed.

A court-appointed Special Commissioner later reported a visible loss of gold. Acting on the report, the High Court ordered a probe by a special investigation team.

Several people, including a former assistant priest and two former presidents of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), which manages the shrine, were arrested. The court said around 4.54 kg of gold had gone missing.

The HC described the case as an "extraordinary" theft of sacred property and kept the matter under close monitoring.

The civic polls in the fag end of the year delivered a morale boost to the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF).

The BJP created history by winning the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, ending more than four decades of Left control in the state capital. PM Narendra Modi described the BJP’s victory as a "watershed moment" in Kerala politics.

The UDF emerged as the single largest force across municipal corporations, municipalities and panchayats, strengthening its position ahead of the 2026 Assembly polls.

The LDF admitted the setback, with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan acknowledging that welfare announcements made before the polls made little impact. He promised introspection within the bloc.

The CPI(M)-led government put the Centre's PM SHRI school scheme on hold after strong objections from its key ally, the CPI. The CM said a Cabinet sub-committee would review the scheme, underlining deeper ideological differences over the National Education Policy, which the Left continues to oppose.

The year also brought decisive moments in the long-running actress sexual assault case that had gripped Kerala and the film industry since 2017.

In December, a trial court acquitted actor Dileep of conspiracy charges, citing lack of evidence.

However, six others, including the prime accused, were convicted and sentenced to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment. The verdict drew mixed reactions, with the state government signaling its intention to appeal while reiterating support for the survivor.

Midway through the year, two maritime accidents raised a scare.

In May, Liberian-flagged cargo vessel MSC ELSA-3 sank off Thottappally in Alappuzha district. It was carrying hundreds of containers, including hazardous materials. An oil spill followed, and large quantities of plastic pellets washed ashore along the coasts of Alappuzha, Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram.

In June, a Singapore-flagged container ship caught fire about 88 nautical miles off the Kerala coast after a container explosion. The Indian Navy and Coast Guard carried out firefighting and rescue operations amid warnings that the vessel could sink.

Kerala lost a towering political figure.

Former CM V S Achuthanandan died at the age of 101 after undergoing treatment following a cardiac arrest.

A founding member of the CPI(M), he was widely respected for his personal integrity and unwavering stand on workers' rights, land reforms and social justice. He served as chief minister from 2006 to 2011 and was elected to the state Assembly seven times, also serving as the Leader of Opposition thrice.

High-profile rape allegations involving a young Congress leader rattled the party. Rahul Mamkootathil, who was elected as the Palakkad MLA in a bypoll last year, faced multiple cases. The party expelled him from its primary membership.

The state mourned the loss of its cultural icon Sreenivasan, the actor, screenwriter and filmmaker known for sharp satire and social commentary.

Superstar Mohanlal was awarded the coveted Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2023, India's highest honour in cinema. .

In November, CM Vijayan declared Kerala free of extreme poverty, calling it a historic achievement under the state's welfare model. While the claim was celebrated by supporters, critics raised questions about its long-term sustainability.