Thiruvananthapuram: The Travancore Devaswom Board has suspended Deputy Commissioner Murari Babu following alleged irregularities in the gold plating work of the sanctum sanctorum at the Sabarimala temple, marking the first official action since the controversy erupted.

The decision was taken during a high-level board meeting held in Thiruvananthapuram today, where Murari Babu's decisions and actions were discussed in detail. The Board concluded that there were serious lapses on his part at two key stages of the temple renovation process.

According to reports, Murari Babu had issued an order in 2019, during his tenure as Administrative Officer, to change the dwarapalaka plates to copper, even though they were originally gold. Later, in 2025, while serving as Executive Officer, he again issued a directive to hand over the worn plates to Unnikrishnan Potti for re-plating in gold, citing loss of shine. The Board believes both decisions lacked clarity and violated due procedures.

The controversy deepened after Murari Babu, shortly before his suspension, spoke to the media, stating that the plates were taken for re-plating because the copper started to show up and the gold lost its sheen. However, this statement contradicts the stance of Smart Creations, the firm responsible for the plating work, whose lawyer claimed that traces of gold would always remain on the plates. This also points out that Murari Babu's statement that copper was visible was misleading and false.

The board found discrepancies in these decisions and flagged procedural lapses and lack of transparency.

Protests turn violent outside Devaswom office in Pathanamthitta

Meanwhile, tensions flared in Pathanamthitta as Youth Congress activists staged a protest march to the Devaswom Deputy Commissioner's office. The demonstration turned violent, resulting in a scuffle with the police.

Protesters, including Sandeep Varrier, reportedly threw coconuts and stones at the office, shattering four window panes. A flex board outside the building was also torn down. Police had set up barricades on the road to prevent the march, but activists breached the barricades.

Situation escalated with coconuts being hurled at the building. When coconuts ran out, protesters allegedly picked up stones from the roadside and continued the attack.

A brief clash happened between police and protestors, with officers attempting to detain some leaders. Protesters resisted, eventually forcing the police to release all those taken into custody. Varier later alleged that police used lathis and even stabbed at protesters, leading to injuries.

Despite the chaos, no arrests have been officially made so far.