T.P. Sundara Rajan, member of the committee appointed by the Supreme Court to take an inventory of the underground vaults at the Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple, passed away here early on Sunday morning. He was 70. He was cremated later in the morning.
It was a petition filed by Mr. Sundara Rajan, a former IPS officer and lawyer, that led to the Supreme Court directive to open the temple vaults and the subsequent discovery of a treasure trove of gold and other valuables.
Relatives said Mr. Sundara Rajan had been suffering from fever for the last two days. He breathed his last at 12.45 a.m. at his residence near the west entrance of the temple.
During his service as an IPS officer, Mr. Sundara Rajan had a stint in the Intelligence Bureau and was also part of the security staff of the former Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi. He later quit the IPS to look after his ailing father and settled down in Thiruvananthapuram. A bachelor, he was staying with his brother and his family.
Mr. Sundara Rajan's move to ensure the protection of the temple assets led to a protracted legal battle. He was one of the seven members of the committee appointed by the court to oversee the opening of the vaults.
Mr. Sundara Rajan's petition and his role in the opening of the temple vaults had led to a hostile reaction from a section of devotees and some organisations. Though he was repeatedly heckled during the process of preparing an inventory of the vast riches, he remained unfazed and stuck to his commitment to ensure transparency in managing the temple assets.
As the international media flocked to the temple following the discovery of the treasure trove, the frail, bearded Sundara Rajan was catapulted into the spotlight. His interview appeared in many newspapers and television channels.
