Pathanamthitta (Kerala) | Retired Kerala High Court judge Justice K T Sankaran on Saturday reached the Sabarimala temple's main strongroom at Aranmula here to examine and prepare an inventory of all valuables, including gold, as directed by the Kerala HC following reports of missing gold at the hill shrine.

Justice Sankaran arrived at Aranmula after completing the examination of other strongrooms within the Sabarimala temple premises, a process that began earlier this month, official said.

According to Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) officials, the main strongroom of the Sabarimala temple is located at Aranmula, where all valuables donated by devotees are kept.

Officials said Justice Sankaran, along with TDB officials and a goldsmith, has begun shifting valuables from the strongroom to another room for detailed inventory preparation.

The process is expected to take several days to complete, they said.

Justice Sankaran, appointed as amicus curiae by the Kerala High Court, will submit a report after completing the examination of the main strongroom.

A bench of Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan V and K V Jayakumar had recommended Justice Sankaran for the task, citing his prior experience in similar matters.

The High Court had also ordered a probe by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) after noticing a reduction in the weight of the gold-clad copper plates of the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idols.

The SIT has registered two cases and arrested two persons so far — Unnikrishnan Potty, the sponsor of the gold-plating work, and former Sabarimala administrative officer B Murari Babu.