By Ashraf Padanna/Thiruvananthapuram

A stone-studded gold ornament missing from the Sree Krishna temple in Kerala’s Guruvayur town for nearly three decades was recovered from its well yesterday.

The necklace weighing around 60 grams was found when the well was being cleaned.

Studded with 29 blue stones, it was one of the three ornaments which went missing in 1985. Two other gold chains, weighing 90 and 45 grams each, is yet to be traced, and the search continues, temple authorities said.

“It is similar to the one we lost nearly 29 years ago though it has faded a bit. Now the records with the court and the stock register of the temple have to be examined for final confirmation,” said temple administration chairman T V Chandramohan.

He also displayed the ornament at a news conference convened in Guruvayur.

The temple administration will now move court to reopen the case, he said.

The disappearance of the ornaments sparked a political row in Kerala with the Communist opposition holding the late chief minister K Karunakaran responsible for the theft.

However, the investigation was closed a few years later for want of any leads after questioning several people including the priests on duty.

Then head priest, Kakkad Manakkal Damodaran Namboothiri, and his children were also subjected to polygraph test.

“Posters depicting my father as a thief were displayed across the state. Now let the truth be out for all to see and let those behind this dirty political game be exposed,” said Karunakaran’s son K Muraleedharan, now a Congress party legislator.

“The opposition parties had used the incident for political ends. Though belated, I’m pleased the truth has finally come out,” Muraleedharan told reporters here while seeking a probe. “Those who insulted Karunakaran should apologise”.

The late head priest’s family, who had to pay a fine for the loss of ornaments, said they were also exploring legal options for getting justice. “My father and the entire family had to undergo insults all these years. It harmed my sister’s marriage plans and my father died early not being able to bear the pain and humiliation,” his son Haridasan Namboothiri claimed.

The temple staff have examined the recovered ornament and identified it as the missing one.

Last year, when the well was cleaned after a gap of 23 years, five cauldrons, 10 bronze idols, 19 silver urns, ancient coins and a few ornaments were recovered.

The slushy bottom of the well, however, was not explored then.

Expert workers were engaged this time round to clean up the silt as the water had turned unusable.