Vaishno Devi shrine silver offerings probe stalled four months on

Four months after a formal complaint was lodged, authorities have yet to register a first information report (FIR) into allegations of silver theft and adulteration at the Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir, raising questions about the pace of investigations into the high-value matter.

Advocate Deepak Sharma filed the complaint seeking action against alleged pilferage and mixing of substandard metal with pure silver offerings contributed by devotees at the sacred shrine. The offerings, accumulated over time, are valued at approximately Rs 550 crore, making the case significant both financially and in terms of religious sentiment.

The complaint specifically highlighted concerns about systematic adulteration of silver donations and unexplained losses in the shrine's precious metal reserves. Such allegations strike at the heart of devotee trust in the management and safekeeping of religious contributions.

The extended delay in initiating formal proceedings has drawn attention to administrative bottlenecks in handling complaints against prominent religious institutions. Officials have not publicly commented on the reasons for the prolonged inaction or outlined a timeline for registration of the FIR.