Sabarimala Dwarapalaka 'missing' peedam traced to house of sponsor's relative

Pathanamthitta (Kerala), Sep 28 (PTI) The Vigilance wing of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) has recovered the 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 a peedam came to light after the Kerala High Court recently ordered an investigation, noticing a reduction in the weight of the gold-clad copper plates of the Dwarapalakas.

Then Potty came out with a revelation that he had also sponsored a gold-plated peedam when the plates of the Dwarapalakas were removed and taken for plating works in 2019.

The work of the peedam was completed in 2020 and delivered to TDB officials through some devotees, as regulations were in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

He alleged that the peedam is now not seen at he Sabarimala shrine.

Following the Kerala HC direction, the TDB vigilance wing conducted an investigation and checked the TDB strong room at Aranmula, but could not trace the peedam.

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. PTI TBA TBA ROH