Retired Employee Arrested for Alleged Theft at Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple
In a shocking incident, a retired employee of the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee has been arrested for allegedly stealing cash from the temple's donation room. CCTV footage revealed his involvement in the theft just days before his retirement. Alongside him, another suspended employee has also been detained. The police are investigating further to uncover the full extent of the conspiracy. This case raises serious concerns about security and trust at one of India's most revered pilgrimage sites. Read on to learn more about the details of this unfolding story.
| Jul 17, 2026, 18:12 IST
Arrest of Former Temple Employee
A special investigation team from the Chamoli police in Uttarakhand apprehended a retired employee of the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) on Friday, accused of stealing cash from the temple's donation room. Authorities revealed that CCTV footage captured him pocketing money on three separate occasions before his retirement on June 30. Mahadev Uniyal, the Station House Officer (SHO) of Badrinath police station, stated that they uncovered the involvement of former officer Rajendra Chauhan in the donation theft case. The footage showed him taking cash on June 22, 25, and 29.
SHO Uniyal confirmed that Chauhan was arrested on Friday afternoon and will be presented in court on Saturday. The police have also detained Pramod Nautiyal, a suspended employee of BKTC, who previously served as a personal assistant in the chairman's office. Initial evidence suggests that both suspects conspired together. Further questioning will be conducted to clarify their roles. The police plan to request Nautiyal's custody from the sessions court on Saturday. He was arrested on Sunday and subsequently placed in judicial custody for 14 days. Uniyal mentioned that they reviewed footage from four days of donation counting—June 22, 25, 29, and July 2—where Nautiyal was seen stealing money each time.
Nautiyal was responsible for managing VIP protocols at the Badrinath temple and overseeing donation counting. According to BKTC, he joined the committee in 2003 and became a permanent employee in 2014. So far, the police have not recovered any stolen cash, gold, or silver coins, except for a Shaligram stone. Uniyal noted, "During questioning, he is not confessing to the crime and is evading our questions."