Sabarimala gold heist: SIT conducts scientific tests at hill shrine

The process, suggested by the Kerala High Court, began at 1.15 pm after the 'deva anujna' (divine permission) rituals and the temple’s closure following 'uchcha puja'.

Thiruvananthapuram: The special investigation team (SIT) probing the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple gold heist has started scientific examination of the gold plating.

The gold plating of the sanctum sanctorum were removed for collecting samples on Monday. It will be subjected to scientific examination to determine purity and quantity of gold.

Prima facie, it was suspected that around two kilogram of gold was siphoned off from the two 'Dwarapalaka' idols and the door frame.

The quality of the gold coating done with the initiative of Bengaluru-based Malayali Unnikrishnan Potti is under suspicion. Hence the special investigation team decided to conduct scientific examination with High Court's permission.

Meanwhile, more arrests in the gold heist are likely to be made soon. Former president of the Travancore Devaswom Board A Padmakumar was summoned by the SIT.