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The Kerala Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Saturday conducted a raid at the Bengaluru residence of Potti Unnikrishnan as part of the ongoing probe. Unnikrishnan, the prime accused in the Sabarimala gold theft case, was taken to Bengaluru on Friday for evidence collection, has been remanded to police custody until October 30. The SIT is examining his involvement in the 2019 theft of the gold-plated panels from the Sabarimala temple's Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) panels. Meanwhile, on Thursda
Silver Price Prediction 2025: As precious metal hits record high, it could climb to as high as Rs 1.5 lakh per kg in the next 12 months, according to a report. Silver surged Rs 1,668 to hit its fresh all-time high of Rs 1,30,000 per kilogram on the MCX, as investors rushed to the white metal on strong bets of a US Federal Reserve rate cut next week. On the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX), silver futures for March next year delivery soared Rs 1,668 or 1.3 per cent to hit a lifetime high of Rs 1,30 ...Read More >
Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Friday pulled up the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) for removing the gold-plated copper coverings from the Dwarapalaka idols at Sabarimala without informing the Special Commissioner. A Division Bench comprising Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V and Justice K V Jayakumar, while considering the Sabarimala Special Commissioner's report, expressed concern over repair works being carried out in Chennai in violation of procedures and court oversight. Installed in 2019 with a 40-year guarantee, the gold-plated coverings developed defects within six years. Sponsored by d ...Read More >
Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], October 10 (ANI): In a scathing attack on the Kerala government amid the escalating Sabarimala gold plating controversy, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader V Muraleedharan on Friday accused the state administration of betraying the trust of devotees and demanded the immediate dismissal of the Devaswom Minister along with the dissolution of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB). Muraleedharan said that the Kerala High Court's intervention in the matter was a "clear indictment" of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijay ...Read More >
Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], October 22 (ANI): Kerala BJP chief Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Tuesday demanded the resignation of Devaswom Minister VN Vasavan and the dissolution of Travancore Devaswom Board over the Sabarimala gold "theft" issue. He also accused Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of trying to "brush the issue under the carpet." "Our position as the BJP has been a sharp contrast with the attempts of the CM to try and brush this under the carpet. When 4.5 kgs of gold from a sacred shrine like Sabarimala go missing, we consider it a crime...So, we have maintained from day 1 that ...Read More >
President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday offered prayers at the Lord Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala in Pathanamthitta. IMAGE: President Droupadi Murmu offeres prayers at the Lord Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala. Photograph: Courtesy @BJMM4Kerala/X President Murmu is the first woman head of state to visit the Lord Ayyappa shrine at Sabarimala for offering prayers. She is also the second president to visit the shrine as before her, former President V V Giri had visited Sabarimala in the 1970s and had tr ...Read More >
New Delhi, Aug 28 (PTI) India's gains from importing discounted Russian oil are estimated to be just USD 2.5 billion per annum, significantly lower than the previously speculated range of USD 10-25 billion, a research report said on Thursday. Stopping Russian oil imports would force India, the world's third-largest oil importer and consumer, to rely on limited alternatives, potentially driving global crude prices up to USD 100 per barrel amid rising demand and tight supply. "Benefit from Russian oil imports is way less than exaggerated media numbers," brokerage CLSA said in a report. While ...Read More >
Pathanamthitta: E D Prasad from Chalakudy has been selected as the new Melsanthi (chief priest) of the Sabarimala temple. The selection was made through the traditional draw of lots held at Sannidhanam around 8 am on Saturday. Prasad, a member of the Erannoor Mana in Chalakudy, is currently serving as the Melsanthi of the Areshwaram Sree Dharma Sastha Temple. The draw for the Sabarimala Melsanthi was conducted by Kashyap Varma of the Pandalam royal family. He is the son of Shailendra Varma from Thiruvalla Paliakkara Palace and Pooja Varma from Vailyakottaram Krishnavilasam Palace in Mavelikka ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 8 (PTI) A Kerala businessman, who recently levelled corruption charges against an ED officer posted in the state, has recorded his statement with the central agency where he is understood to have denied knowing or having any evidence against the said investigator, official sources said Sunday. The businessman, Aneesh Babu, deposed before the Enforcement Directorate in Delhi on June 6 and his statement was recorded under audio-visual camera by the agency as per the provisions of section 50 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Such a statement made under the anti-mo ...Read More >
Suspended BRS leader K. Kavitha claimed that corrupt practices are entrenched in contract work at Singareni, with 25% corruption occurring in every contract and 10% of the share going to senior Congress leaders. Speaking at a felicitation of her on being elected as the honorary president of HMS (AB Singareni Miners & Engineering Workers' Union), she warned that if the State fails to rein in these malpractices, the HMS-led movement will lay siege to Singareni Bhavan. Ms. Kavitha asserted that HM ...Read More >
KOCHI: Hardening its stance against the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) for sending gold-plated sheets of 'dwarapalaka idols' of the Sabarimala temple to Chennai for repair without following proper procedure, the Kerala High Court on Friday directed the TDB's chief vigilance and security officer (SP) to seize all the records related to the gold plating of the idols and other items since the date of original cladding. It also impleaded Unnikrishnan Potty of Bengaluru, who is sponsoring the repair, and Smart Creations of Chennai, which is undertaking it, in the case and asked the registry to is ...Read More >
Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], October 6 (ANI): The General Secretary of Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam, Vellappally Natesan has heavily criticised Kerala's temple administration system, questioning whether "Devaswom Boards have become a curse." Criticising the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) for sending gold-plated panels from the temple's Dwarapalaka idols to Chennai for repair without informing the High Court, Natesan wrote in 'Yoganadam', the official mouthpiece of the SNDP Yogam, that such an incident is "deeply painful for Ayyappa devotees" and highlighted that the a ...Read More >
Thiruvananthapuram: Judicial first class magistrate court in Ranni on Friday remanded Unnikrishnan Potti, the key accused in the Sabarimala gold theft case, to the custody of the special investigation team (SIT) until Oct 30.Potti, who was taken into custody on Thursday from his residence at Pulimath, was subjected to several hours of interrogation at the crime branch headquarters in Eanchakkal before being formally arrested early Friday morning -- marking the first arrest in the case. He was later produced before the Ranni court, which allowed him 10 minutes to interact with his lawyer. Inves ...Read More >
Mysuru (Karnataka), Aug 25 (PTI) In a horrific crime, a 20-year-old married woman was allegedly killed by a man, who was in a relationship with her, by stuffing some "chemical powder" into her mouth after a heated argument, police said on Monday. The incident occurred on Saturday at a lodge in Bherya village of Saligrama taluk in this district, they said, adding the woman died following consumption of the chemical. The accused Siddaraju was arrested, police said, adding he tried to portray the cause of her death as "due to mobile blast" to mislead the investigators. A case of murder was regi ...Read More >
Kochi, Sep 12 (PTI) The Kerala High Court on Friday ordered immediate seizure of the entire records related to the gold-plating of the 'Dwarapalaka' (guardian deity) idols in front of the Sabarimala sanctum sanctorum, saying there were a lot of "unanswered questions" regarding it. The direction by a bench of justices Raja Vijayaraghavan V and K V Jayakumar came during hearing of a plea initiated by the court on its own with regard to the removal of the gold-plated copper coverings of the 'Dwarapalaka' idols located on either side of the Sreekovil without prior intimation to the Special Commis ...Read More >
Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], July 9 (ANI): Following the violent protest at Kerala University, a case has been registered against 27 activists of the ruling CPM's Students Federation of India (SFI), including its state secretary P S Sanjeev, who has been named the prime accused, police said. The case also names 1,000 identifiable protesters who have been accused of damaging public property, forcibly entering the university campus, and assaulting police and university staff, police said on Tuesday. Also Read | Nobel Peace Prize 2025: From Mahatma Gandhi to Jawaharlal Nehru, Check Full ...Read More >
Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], October 10 (ANI): In a scathing attack on the Kerala government amid the escalating Sabarimala gold plating controversy, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader V Muraleedharan on Friday accused the state administration of betraying the trust of devotees and demanded the immediate dismissal of the Devaswom Minister along with the dissolution of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB). Muraleedharan said that the Kerala High Court's intervention in the matter was a "clear indictment" of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijay ...Read More >
KOCHI: Even as gold prices surge to record highs, Kerala's temples continue to glitter with the devotion of followers. Offerings of gold and silver pour in undeterred. At the famed Guruvayur Sree Krishna Temple, devotees drop precious metals into the hundi (offering box) in astonishing quantities -- around 20 to 25 kg of gold and 120 to 150 kg of silver every year. The October 2025 collection alone yielded 2.58 kg of gold and 9.31 kg of silver. The Sabarimala hill shrine, which opens only for three months during the pilgrimage season, receives nearly 15 kg of gold during that short period. A ...Read More >
[BENGALURU] Gold prices edged higher on Thursday (Jul 10) as US President Donald Trump's latest tariff announcements kept markets cautious, with investors closely watching trade negotiations, while a slight pullback in the US dollar provided additional support. Spot gold rose 0.2 per cent to US$3,321.04 per ounce, as at 0044 GMT. US gold futures were up 0.3 per cent at US$3,329.10. The US dollar index edged down 0.3 per cent. A lower US dollar makes gold more affordable for overseas buyers. On Wednesday, Trump turned his trade ire against Brazil, threatening Latin America's largest economy ...Read More >
Hyderabad: In a strategic business expansion, Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) has secured exploration licenses for gold and copper mines in Karnataka's Raichur and Devadurga areas, with a lucrative 37.75% royalty share. Exploration work is set to begin shortly, promising substantial financial benefits for the company. Once reserves are found, the company engaged in mining will continue to pay royalties to SCCL, boosting the company's economy. Announcing this at a press conference, Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka said SCCL would participate in upcoming coal and mineral mine ...Read More >
Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 1 (PTI) The opposition Congress and the BJP on Wednesday questioned why the gold-plated cladding of the 'Dwarapalakas' was removed in 2019 for renovation, why its weight was reduced when it was brought back to the shrine, and demanded a comprehensive probe into the matter. Both the BJP and Congress alleged that these actions took place with the knowledge of the government and the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB). Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly, V D Satheesan, questioned why the cladding -- which had a 40-year guarantee after being gold-plated in 1990 -- ...Read More >
Unnikrishnan Potty, who allegedly sponsored gold plating of temple items in 2019, has been arrested from his Thiruvananthapuram residence. This comes after Kerala HC found that the items that Potty allegedly took for gold plating in 2019 had been missing gold. A Special Investigation Team probing alleged misappropriation of gold from the Sabarimala temple Thursday took Unnikrishnan Potty, who had sponsored gold-plating of temple items, into custody. Following directions from the Kerala High Cou ...Read More >
Pathanamthitta (Kerala), Oct 17 (PTI) A local court in Ranni here on Friday granted custody of Unnikrishnan Potty, the prime accused in the Sabarimala gold missing case, to the SIT probing the matter. The Judicial First Class Magistrate Court granted the custody of Potty to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) till October 30. The accused claimed he had been 'trapped' by somone. "Those who trapped me will come before the law," he told reporters while being taken out of the court. A person in the crowd gathered outside the court hurled a footwear at Potty as he was being escorted out of the ...Read More >
KOCHI: A month ahead of the Mandala festival season, the Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple selected the melsanthi (chief priest) on Saturday. E D Prasad of Erannoor Mana at Mattathur Kunnu in Chalakudy has been selected the chief priest. M G Manu Namboothiri of Mayyanad in Kollam district will serve as the melsanthi of Malikappuram temple. The new melsanthis will assume charge on November 17, the first day of the Malayalam month of Vrischikam. The two-month-long Mandala Makaravilakku season will commence on November 17 and conclude on January 21. The melsanthis were selected through a draw of ...Read More >
Dhanteras trade in India is expected to surge past Rs 1 lakh crore. Gold and silver sales alone could reach over Rs 60,000 crore nationwide. Consumers bought gold, silver, utensils, electronics, and vehicles. Delhi's bullion markets saw a 25 percent rise in sales compared to last year. Reductions in GST rates and the 'Swadeshi Aapnao' campaign boosted festive trade. The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has estimated that trade across India on the occasion of Dhanteras is expected to cro ...Read More >
Kochi, Sep 12 ( IANS) The Kerala High Court on Friday came down heavily on the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) for removing gold-plated copper coverings from the Dwarapalaka (guardian) idols at Sabarimala without informing the court-appointed Special Commissioner. A Division Bench of Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V and Justice K.V. Jayakumar, while hearing the Special Commissioner's report, expressed concern that the TDB bypassed procedure and court oversight by sending the ornaments for repairs to a Chennai-based firm, Smart Creations. The gold-plated coverings, guaranteed for 40 years when i ...Read More >
The police have registered a case against journalist Siddique Kappan and 10 others in connection with a solidarity event held here condemning the arrest of journalist Rejaz M Sheeba Sydeek, police said on Sunday. IMAGE: File image of journalist Sidhique Kappan Photograph: / Rediff.com The event was organised by human rights organisations at Vanchi Square near the Kerala High Court junction on Saturday evening. Activists of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) and Welfare Party also took ...Read More >
Malappuram (Kerala) | Leader of Opposition in the Kerala assembly, V D Satheesan on Tuesday accused the ruling CPI (M) of having an "unholy alliance" with the BJP and cited a message from Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, which was read out at the recent Global Ayyappa Sangamam, as the latest example of this partnership. Continuing to criticise Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan over the Sangamam held in Pampa, he alleged that the Marxist party veteran tried to showcase a "pseudo devotion" during the event. "By showing pseudo devotion... by creating an impression of devotion, he tri ...Read More >
KOCHI: Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan on Thursday reiterated that the UDF and the Congress had taken the correct political stand by staying away from the CPM-backed Ayyappa Sangamam, saying the Opposition's role was to expose the government's "false bhakti." Addressing reporters in Kochi, Satheesan said the government's sudden display of devotion was only a desperate attempt to recover from the looming defeat in 2026. "It is the Opposition's duty to reveal the truth when the government tries to misuse Sabarimala politically. We had three clear questions: Will the government withdraw the ...Read More >
New Delhi: US President Donald Trump has announced that the US is attempting to recapture Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan, which was abandoned more than four years ago. The airbase is currently under Taliban control. It is being reported that China is also trying to acquire Bagram Air Base. Experts believe that there is only one problem with Trump's ambition: China. China will ensure that the USA never regains Bagram Air Base. If the US recaptures this airbase, it would be a major defeat for China in Afghanistan. Speaking to Fox News, Bill Roggio, an expert analyst and senior editor of the Fou ...Read More >
Thiruvananthapuram [Kerala], October 2 (ANI): The Sabrimala gold-plating controversy has intensified, with investigators struggling to trace key records linked to the 30.3 kg of gold and 1,900 kg of copper donated by industrialist Vijay Mallya in 1998 for cladding the sanctum sanctorum and wooden carvings of the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple in Kerala. Also Read | Mohan Bhagwat Says 'Pahalgam Attack Revealed India's True Friends' During Public Address on RSS 100th Anniversary (Watch Video). Devaswom Minister V N Vasavan, in response to ANI, said a detailed probe was underway under High Court sup ...Read More >