Probe into missing 5.75 kg gold meant for idol making

As the temple officials failed to keep the account of gold collected for the two panchaloha idols, weighing 115 kg, devotees suspected misappropriation. “They were supposed to use 5.75 kg of gold in two idols. But now they say they are unsure of how much was collected from devotees,” police said on Sunday. Idol wing, headed by IG AG Ponmanickavel, registered FIR against nine people, including temple executive officer Murugesan, Tamil Nadu chief temple sculptor Muthaiah, sculptor Masilamani and temple priest Rajappa.

The police are also investigating into the missing of 1,300-year-old panchaloha Kavachas of the idol Somaskandar. Both the cases were handed over to the idol wing based on an order from a Kancheepuram court after a devotee submitted a petition saying that the temple does not have an inventory of gold collected for consecration.

The temple authority had decided to redo the panchaloha idol of Somaskandar, comprising Lord Shiva, Paravathi and Murugan, weighing around 50 kg and an Amman idol weighing about 65 kg after getting a nod from Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments Department, which allowed that idols can have 5 per cent gold when being made again.

As per the order, the temple executive officer invited gold donation. “The new idols were made last December and when a devotee through an RTI application asked about the quantity of gold received from devotees, the temple officials informed that no inventory was kept on the gold received,” noted a senior idol wing official. Following this, the devotee had approached the court