₹70 lakh diamond crown missing from Gudivada temple in Andhra Pradesh’s Krishna district sparks outrage

Vijayawada: A major controversy has erupted in Gudivada town in Krishna district after a diamond-studded gold crown worth ₹70 lakh, donated to Lord Sri Kalyana Venkateswara Swamy by an elderly devotee, allegedly went missing.

The incident has triggered outrage among devotees and prompted the endowments department to launch an inquiry.The crown, made of 461 grams of gold and studded with diamonds, was offered to the deity in Jan 2025 by an 81-year-old devotee, Maturi Subbarao, at the Sri Kalyana Venkateswara Swamy temple in the Arya Vyshya Kalyana Mandapam in Gudivada. When Subbarao visited the temple in April this year, he was shocked to see the crown not adorning the deity.When he questioned the temple committee members, they reportedly told him the crown was in a bank locker for safekeeping. Trusting their explanation, he returned. When he visited again, he requested the committee to decorate the deity with the crown at least once, saying he wished to see it in his lifetime.To his surprise, the temple representatives allegedly told him that the crown had been shifted to a different locker due to modernisation works at the Kalyana Mandapam.

A suspicious Subbarao began inquiring further and reportedly discovered that there was no clear record of the crown’s whereabouts.Adding to the controversy, the devotee claimed that no official receipt was issued when he donated the crown to the temple. He alleged that when he approached the authorities, he was told the temple does not come under the endowments department and that legal recourse would have to be pursued.Finally, Subbarao learnt that the crown was allegedly pledged to raise funds for the modernisation works of the Kalyana Mandapam. This revelation quickly sparked concern among devotees and locals, sources said.Assistant commissioner of endowments department Lalitha visited the temple and began an inquiry. She reportedly collected details from the priest and sought keys and records from the temple trust’s office.

She also sought details from Subbarao’s family about the donation of the crown.But when the department’s officials tried to meet the temple trust’s board members for questioning, many reportedly informed them over the phone that they were unavailable despite prior intimation about the inquiry. Sources said an inquiry report is expected soon.Meanwhile, a pawnbroker allegedly linked to the transaction is said to be absconding after the matter became public. According to reports, he has informed the temple trust’s board members through intermediaries that he would return to the village only if the pledged amount is transferred to his account.Officials said legal and administrative aspects of the case are being examined, while devotees are demanding strict action and transparency in the handling of temple valuables and donations.