“Uttarakhand: Purohits’ Protest of 2021 That Left Badrinath Temple Without Financial Safeguards”, SwarajyaMag, July 29, 2026
“Inside the donation-counting room at the Badrinath temple, CCTV cameras recorded a temple official walking between the counting room and his office two or three times. He carried out bundles of Rs 500 and Rs 100 notes, gold and silver coins, shaligram stones and sealed envelopes of cash, each estimated to hold Rs 10,000 to 12,000.
That official was Pramod Nautiyal, personal assistant to the Chairman of the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC). However, the BKTC Chairman claimed that Nautiyal was not his PA, but a regular temple official. Nautiyal allegedly stole money across multiple days in June and July and was finally arrested on 12 July.
A few days later, on 17 July, another temple official, Rajendra Chauhan, who was in charge of counting donations and retired on 30 June, was arrested over similar charges of theft…..”
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