No receipts, no leads: 60 kg of silver donated to Ayodhya Ram temple vanishes without a trace; SIT launches probe

LUCKNOW: Special Investigation Team (SIT) has launched a probe following reports that 60 kilograms of silver bars, donated by devotees for the Ayodhya Ram Temple, have gone missing. The silver, presented as an offering to Ram Lalla during the high-profile 'Pran Pratishtha' (consecration) ceremony, was designated to be placed within the temple’s foundation.
Despite a dedicated six-day search, top investigative sources reveal that the SIT has yet to uncover any viable leads regarding the current location of the precious metal.

The investigation has hit an initial roadblock as authorities have been unable to locate official storage logs or internal receipts documenting where the silver was secured.
The 60-kg consignment was custom-crafted by the National Jewellers’ Association, funded through contributions pooled from gold and silver merchants across India. According to Anurag Rastogi, President of the Jewellers’ Association, the organisation holds a valid, official receipt confirming that the silver was formally handed over to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.
However, Rastogi noted a troubling inconsistency:
"These specific silver bars were never seen or accounted for during the foundation-stone ceremonies, nor were they visible during any subsequent phases of the temple's construction."

Taking note of the sensitivity of the matter, a high-level, three-member SIT has been deployed to spearhead the case. The team is led by Lucknow Commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant, alongside Inspector General (IG) Kiran S. and Special Secretary Neelaratan Kumar.
As part of the initial rounds of questioning, investigators interrogated several key personnel, including Ram Shankar Yadav, four temple priests, and Krishna Dev Tiwari—the official custodian of the temple's jewellery and religious offerings.
In his official statement to the SIT, Tiwari maintained that he did not know the silver bars or their current whereabouts. Investigations are ongoing, with authorities widening their search to review CCTV footage and older administrative logs.