THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A major theft has been reported at the Kowdiar Palace, with gold jewellery worth around Rs 2 crore allegedly missing. A complaint regarding the theft has been filed with the Peroorkada Police Station by Aswathi Thirunal Gowri Lakshmi Bayi, a senior member of the Travancore family.
According to the complaint, several priceless gold ornaments embedded with precious stones that were in Gowri Lakshmi Bayi’s possession have been stolen.
The missing items include several traditional gold ornaments such as chains, necklaces, bangles, anklets, earrings and pendants, some studded with precious stones, along with a few gold coins.
Many of the pieces are rare heirlooms passed down through generations of the royal family. The stolen items also include ornaments engraved with the image of ‘Padmanabha Swamy’ and jewellery that had been brought from abroad.
The loss came to light in November 2025 when Gowri Lakshmi Bayi found the ornaments to be missing before leaving for Bengaluru. A search was conducted within the palace premises, but the jewellery could not be located. The complaint notes that the theft is suspected to have taken place sometime between October and November 2025.
It states that the ornaments had been in the cupboard until about ten days prior to the discovery of the loss. Initially, family members believed that someone within the palace might have taken the jewellery for use. Over the past few months, enquiries were conducted among members of the family. When it became clear that none of them had taken the ornaments, a complaint was filed with the police.
The incident is as an extremely rare occurrence. However, the family has not yet come forward with a public response regarding the complaint.
The complaint states that the theft is suspected to have taken place sometime between October and November 2025.
Among the items reported stolen are:
* A gold chain studded with orange coral and gold pearls (about half a sovereign).
* A gold anklet with a ‘pichipoo mottu’ design (about 3 sovereigns).
* An anklet studded with black and gold pearls (about 2 sovereigns).
* Two broad bangles with leaf designs (about 4 sovereigns).
* Two narrow twisted gold bangles (about 3 sovereigns).
* Two large gold earrings with dangling elements set with red stones (value not fixed).
* A gold pendant featuring two green enamel leaves and a white enamel conch motif along with a twisted gold chain (about 2.5 sovereigns).
* A traditional gold ‘kuzhiminnu mala’ (about 5 sovereigns).
* A necklace, pendant and earrings set with green stones in a ‘Naga pada’ design valued at around 8 lakh.
* Gold earrings with a leaf-designed maatti (about 2 sovereigns).
* Two broad flowing bangles studded with ruby stones and diamonds (about 6 sovereigns).
* A delicate gold chain with a pendant engraved with the image of ‘Padmanabha Swamy’ (about 1 sovereign).
* Five gold coins weighing one sovereign each bearing horse motifs.