The City police have intensified their investigation into the major theft reported at the Kowdiar Palace where jewellery worth nearly ₹2 crore was reported missing.
District Police Chief (Thiruvananthapuram City) K. Karthick visited the palace to gather further details and assess the situation on Tuesday. He said statements from palace staff and residents have already been recorded as part of the ongoing probe. Around 40 staff members reside within the palace premises.
Besides, regular visitors to the palace are also under observation. The investigation team has 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 gem-studded jewellery, including antique valuables that were kept in a locked cupboard inside the bedroom of Aswathi Thirunal Gouri Lakshmi Bayi, member of the erstwhile Travancore royal family.
‘Value could be higher’
Meanwhile, the investigation could be transferred to the Crime Branch considering the gravity of the crime. Officials also point out that the estimated value of the stolen valuables could be significantly higher.
According to the police, the remaining valuables have been shifted to a secure location as a precaution. The theft is suspected to have been carried out by someone familiar with the palace layout, considering the jewellery was taken from a locker inside an iron cupboard in a second-floor bedroom. With the presence of security personnel and CCTV surveillance, investigators suspect that outsiders would have found it difficult to execute the theft.
The police also suspect that the jewellery may have been smuggled out in phases rather than in a single incident.
Published – March 17, 2026 08:23 pm IST
