Kowdiar Palace theft: 25 questioned, but no breakthrough in probe

T'puram: Days after the alleged theft of gold worth Rs 2 crore was reported at Kowdiar Palace in Thiruvananthapuram, the investigation has made little progress with police yet to identify suspects or recover the missing ornaments. Police sources said around 25 persons associated with the palace, including family members, have been questioned as part of the probe which has largely focused on those with access to the premises. Despite this, investigators have not found any concrete leads so far. Officials indicated that the absence of forensic evidence has significantly limited progress. No signs of forced entry or usable fingerprints were found during the examination at the palace, narrowing the scope of the investigation to a closed group of individuals. Sources also pointed to challenges in gathering complete information, noting that lack of full cooperation in certain aspects has affected the pace of the probe. At the same time, members of the royal family have approached senior officers alleging harassment during questioning. It is learnt that the family had initially sought a discreet inquiry without registering a formal complaint, which police declined, insisting that a case be formally recorded before proceeding with the investigation. The theft, involving gold ornaments reportedly kept in a cupboard, is believed to have occurred between Oct and Nov 2025, but was reported to police only earlier this month. Police are also examining possible links to antique jewellery networks in other cities such as Chennai and Bengaluru, while cyberpolice teams are analyzing call data records of those connected to the palace.