The city police have intensified their investigation into a major theft reported at Kowdiar Palace, where jewelery worth nearly ₹2 crore was reported missing.
District Superintendent of Police (Thiruvananthapuram City) K. Karthick visited the palace on Tuesday to get more details and assess the situation. He said statements from palace staff and residents have already been recorded as part of the ongoing investigation. Around 40 employees are based in the premises of the palace.
In addition, regular visitors to the palace are also under surveillance. The investigation team compiled a list of all visitors who entered the palace between October and November last year, when the theft allegedly took place.
The stolen items include several pieces of gold and jewel-studded jewellery, including antique valuables that were kept in a locked cabinet in the bedroom of Aswathi Thirunal Gouri Lakshmi Bayi, a member of the former Travancore royal family.
‘The value could be higher’
Meanwhile, the investigation could be transferred to the crime branch considering the seriousness of the crime. Officials also warn that the estimated value of the stolen valuables could be significantly higher.
According to the police, the remaining valuables were moved to a safe place as a precaution. The theft is believed to have been carried out by someone familiar with the layout of the palace as the jewelery was taken from a locker in an iron cupboard in a second floor bedroom. With security personnel present and CCTV monitoring, investigators suspect it would have been difficult for foreigners to carry out the theft.
Police also suspect that the jewelery may have been smuggled in stages and not in a single incident.
Published – 17 March 2026 20:23 IST
