SIT Collects Fresh Samples from Sannidanam Shrine in Sabarimala Gold Theft Case

Pathanamthitta: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) has continued collecting samples from the shrine at Sannidanam to further clarify the scientific evidence in the Sabarimala gold theft case. Under the leadership of SP S. Sasidharan, the SIT collected samples on Thursday evening after the temple opened for the day at 5 PM.

The team collected samples from several locations, including the Dwarapalaka cladding, the Kattilappalli panels, and the pillars on the southwest and northeast sides of the shrine.

Further samples will be collected on Friday and Saturday after the temple closes. The 15-member team mainly consists of gold assessment experts from the Legal Metrology Department. The collected samples will be examined at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) in Mumbai.

The examination will be conducted using one of the following technologies: X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, inductively coupled plasma spectroscopy, or optical emission spectroscopy.

Earlier, samples collected on November 6, 2025, when the temple opened, were examined at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) in Thiruvananthapuram. However, considering the assessment that the testing at VSSC was not effective, fresh samples are being collected again with the permission of the High Court.