Kozhikode: Mystery continued to shroud the missing gold offerings from the Sree Neeleswaram Siva Temple near Mukkom, even after the Malabar Devaswom Board recovered a major portion of the valuables.

According to board officials, the missing gold ornaments were found during an appraisal of the temple’s valuables carried out by Verification Officer Rahul on Thursday. During the process, former Trustee Board Chairman Manu Prasad and the incumbent priest produced 9.710 gm of gold claimed to be part of the missing ornaments. However, officials noted that all the recovered pieces appeared to be newly made as the original offerings believed to be centuries old.

Gireesh Kumar, Assistant Commissioner of the Malabar Devaswom Board, and Muraleedharan, the temple’s Executive Officer, were present during the verification.

Speaking to Onmanorama, Gireesh Kumar confirmed that most of the missing gold and silver offerings had been handed over to the temple authorities.

“We have recovered a major portion of the gold and silver pieces. The former board chairman and the priest handed over these gold items. The total weight is 9.710 grams. A very small portion — two 'chandrakala' and two 'thaali' made of gold — are yet to be recovered. All the pieces recovered today appear newly made,” he said.

The alleged disappearance of the gold came to light after the temple committee president and secretary filed a complaint with Mukkom police on October 4 amid the row over missing of gold from Sabarimala temple. In the complaint, they alleged that only a few golden offerings remained.

During verification on the same day, officials found only six chandrakala (crescent-shaped ornaments) and two bindi intact, while five other pieces, including four thaali, were found to be fake.

The committee stated that the temple had received 32 crescent-shaped gold pieces, 10 golden thaali, two gold bindi, and one thaali mani as offerings. Out of this, 26 crescent-shaped pieces, 10 thaali, and one thaali mani were found missing.

The complaint was filed during a verification conducted as part of the handover process to the newly appointed Executive Officer, Muraleedharan. He was assigned the charge after the former Trustee Board was dissolved in August 2025 over alleged irregularities. Manu Prasad was the chairman at that time.