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Tuesday, 14th July 2009 (1138 views)

State officials in Andhra Pradesh, India have launched an inquiry into the disappearance of 300 gold coins and ornaments from the treasury of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), the body that runs the Sri Venkateswara Temple.

According to the Indian Express, the TTD's Vigilance Wing has already carried out its own investigation, which concluded that a total of 21 people, including the organisation's former deputy executive officer R Prabhakar Reddy, had been involved in the "misappropriation" of the coins.

The revenue department of the state government will now look into the allegations and has sought a written submission from Mr Reddy and the others named in the TTD report.

The missing gold coins are estimated to be worth Rs 15 lakh (£18,821).

Officials will also look into the disappearance of several items of gold jewellery donated to the TTD by temple devotees, the newspaper noted.

The Sri Venkateswara Temple is located on the seventh peak of Tirumala Hill, which rises 3,200 feet above sea level near the town of Tirupati in south-east India.

 

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