Rs 21 lakh to melt 900 kg silver in Hyderabad: Ram Mandir donations under police scanner

Sources said that while this was indicated in the meetings of the Trust in November 2024 as well as in March 2025, suggestions were also made for setting up a separate accountable “system” within the main Ram Temple complex for dropping precious ornaments and also for those seeking a receipt.

“All we know is that during a meeting of the Trust last year, the information was shared that a little less than 1,000 kg of silver received in different forms in donation was sent to the government-run minting unit in Hyderabad for testing and melting. The silver sent in different forms, when melted and checked for purity, had come to around 900 kg after removal of impurities. As samples were taken, close to about 90 per cent purity was found,” said an official.

Sources said that over Rs 20 lakh were spent in the process of verification of the purity of this silver through the sampling process and melting it, which included silver in different forms. Sources said that these claims are being verified, and also how other ornaments and offerings were handled by the Trust.

Further, it has also come to light that about a month-and-a-half ago, a high-level security review was conducted to strengthen the security system. “But irrespective of increased security at other places and increased deployment, still security just outside the counting room remained with a private security person with no X-ray machine,” said the official.

While earlier suggestions regarding creating an accountable system for dropping of ornaments in the donation boxes inside the temple, sources said that some of the members are likely to raise it again during the Trust meeting scheduled for Monday, along with the demand to create a “full-proof” system for donation counting and deposit, which can be made public “to restore the lost faith of the devotees”.