Scientific tests by the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) have confirmed that a large-scale gold loot had taken place in the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple.
The Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) inspection report has made a crucial finding that there is a shortage in the amount of gold plating on the Dwarapalaka sculptures, Sreekovil door frames, and other artefacts in Sabarimala. The report reportedly indicates that there is a big difference between the weight of gold plating on the sculptures and Sreekovil door frames in 1998 and the current weight. This shortage has been found to be particularly pronounced in the Dwarapalaka sculptures.
The VSSC report was prepared by conducting a comparative examination of the layers covered with gold contributed by Vijay Mallya’s UB Group in 1998 and the layers returned after being plated with gold in 2019. The report will be submitted to the High Court on Monday along with the SIT conclusions.
The VSSC analysis, which included a scientific comparison of samples from the current structures with other gold-plated layers from 1998, found a clear mismatch and major shortfall in the gold content. The report precisely recorded the amount of gold present in the current copper layers and determined their age, revealing the discrepancies.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) suspects that the original gold layers may have been removed, the gold extracted into bars using a chemical process, and the structures replaced with new, less-gold-plated copper replicas.
The crucial scientific analysis report on the gold plating of copper claddings covering various artefacts, including the Dwarapalaka sculptures and door frames of the Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple, conducted at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), was submitted in a sealed cover to the Vigilance court in Kollam on Friday.
The examination results of 15 samples, including the Dwarapalaka sculptures and the door frames, were handed over to the court. The Kollam Vigilance Court subsequently handed over the report to the SIT on Saturday. The report will be submitted to the High Court on Monday along with the SIT conclusions.
The SIT will now have to find out whether the gold that is currently in Sabarimala is not the old one. If not, where it has gone and whether it has been replaced with new gold. There is also a suspicion that an international antique smuggling mafia is involved in the Sabarimala gold loot.