Malappuram, June 27
Gold jewellery valued at around ₹10 lakh has gone missing from the custody of the Karipur Police Station in Kerala’s Malappuram district, prompting a departmental investigation into what is being treated as a major breach of security and official procedure.
The missing ornaments had been deposited at the station over several years after being recovered from different locations, including Karipur International Airport, or handed over by members of the public after being found abandoned. The jewellery, received both before and after 2018, had been kept in the station’s property room pending legal proceedings and court orders.
The disappearance was detected during an inspection, following which the Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Kondotty, submitted a report to the Malappuram District Police Chief confirming that the ornaments were no longer traceable. The report has triggered an internal inquiry to determine how the valuables vanished from police custody.
According to police sources, the matter first came under scrutiny in February this year when the intelligence wing reported discrepancies in the station’s property records. A subsequent verification is understood to have confirmed that a quantity of gold kept in official custody had gone missing.
The incident has raised serious concerns within the police department as seized and recovered valuables are required to be maintained under strict documentation and security protocols. Investigators are now examining station records, property registers and custody logs to establish when the ornaments disappeared and whether established procedures were violated.
Preliminary inquiries have reportedly pointed to the possible involvement of a former senior police officer who had served at the station. However, officials have not disclosed further details, saying the investigation is at a sensitive stage.
Police said appropriate departmental and legal action would be taken after the inquiry is completed. It remains unclear whether a criminal case has been formally registered in connection with the disappearance of the gold jewellery.
