THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A gold rod weighing 107 grams, used for soldering purposes, has gone missing from the strongroom of the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple.
The disappearance was noticed on Saturday morning when work resumed on the Sreekovil door, which has been under maintenance since May 7.
The gold components on the temple door had been temporarily removed to facilitate the ongoing repair work. According to temple executive officer Mahesh, all such activities are carried out under strict police supervision, and the materials are securely returned to the strongroom after use.
“The workers were on leave for two days, and the work resumed on Saturday. That is when we found the gold rod with cadmium missing,” said Mahesh.
He added that the item might have gone missing while being transported in a cloth bag to the Mandapam, where the work is being carried out.
The incident has been reported to the police, who have launched an investigation. CCTV footage is being examined to trace the missing item. The gold rod is estimated to be worth around 13.5 sovereigns.