Sun Oct 05 15:08:00 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a summary of the provided text, followed by a news article based on that summary:
**Summary:**
The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) is investigating Unnikrishnan Potti, a part-time priest who previously oversaw the restoration of gold-plated panels at the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple. The investigation centers around allegations of misappropriation of temple artifacts, suspected misuse for private worship, discrepancies in the weight of returned metals, and questionable circumstances surrounding the warranty for the restored panels. Two missing gold-plated panels were found at Potti’s sister’s residence. Potti claims innocence and alleges a media witch-hunt. The TDB president clarifies the board’s actions regarding transporting panels for repair.
**News Article:**
**Sabarimala Priest Under Scrutiny in Temple Artifacts Probe**
**Thiruvananthapuram, October 5, 2025** – The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) is intensifying its investigation into Unnikrishnan Potti, a part-time priest formerly involved in the restoration of gold-plated panels at the famed Sabarimala Ayyappa temple. Potti was questioned for a second consecutive day on Sunday amid allegations of misappropriation and misuse of temple artifacts.
The TDB’s Vigilance wing is examining claims that temple artifacts were used for private worship at the residences of prominent individuals in Chennai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad. The investigation was launched after discrepancies were noted in the restoration process undertaken by Potti in 2019. He was contracted to restore gold-plated overlays covering the temple’s stone carvings and sculptures, originally donated by businessperson Vijay Mallya in 1998.
Adding to the concerns, two “gold-plated coverings reported missing from Sabarimala” were recently recovered from the residence of Potti’s sister in Thiruvananthapuram. The TDB officials have also highlighted the “incriminating oddity” of the gilded panels being certified as made of pure copper.
Investigators are also scrutinizing a reported 4-kg reduction in the weight of the metals returned to the temple after the restoration and why the 40-year warranty for the refurbished panels was issued in Potti’s name, rather than the TDB. This unusual arrangement forced the TDB to seek Potti’s services for repairs in August 2025, despite prior red flags raised by the Vigilance wing.
TDB president P.S. Prasanth has clarified that the board transported the panels to Chennai for repair under police escort. “The TDB had summoned Mr. Potti to Chennai to execute the guarantee and did not entrust the panels to him, as it happened in 2019,” he said.
Emerging from four hours of questioning, Potti maintained his innocence, decrying the probe as a “media witch-hunt.” He insisted that the allegations leveled against him by “journalists” are unfounded.
The investigation continues, with the TDB Vigilance unit reportedly examining video footage and photographs from 2019, which allegedly depict the misuse of temple property for private worship and potential private fund collection and personal profiteering.
First Piper 