In a stunning development that reshapes the narrative around the Sabarimala gold theft case, scientists from the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), under ISRO, have delivered critical findings. The investigation conclusively shows that the gold stolen from the temple’s sanctum sanctorum door panels was not solid gold but a thin layer electroplated onto copper sheets.
The panels themselves remain the original copper fixtures, untouched and unaltered. This revelation, submitted to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) and presented in the Kerala High Court on Wednesday, debunks wild speculations of international smuggling rings replacing entire fixtures with fakes.
Experts conducted meticulous metallurgical and chemical analyses on samples from the ornate door panels. Their report confirms the wooden frame, locally known as ‘kattil,’ is authentic. However, the gold plating on certain sheets had been meticulously stripped away, leaving the underlying copper intact but chemically altered.
Visible changes on the panels, previously mistaken for replacements, stem from chemical reactions triggered by mercury-based solutions commonly used to dissolve gold plating. No evidence supports claims of swapped sheets; the originals endured the heist.
The SIT assures the court that comparative tests on archival samples from the door are ongoing. VSSC officials promise a comprehensive final report soon, poised to steer the probe toward identifying the culprits who executed this sophisticated chemical extraction without dismantling the sacred structure.
This breakthrough shifts focus from structural tampering to the shadowy world of gold recovery techniques, promising clarity in one of Kerala’s most sensitive religious scandals. Devotees and authorities alike await justice as science illuminates the path forward.