Vaishno Devi Silver Scam
95% Fake Silver Donated To Vaishno Devi, Government Team Warns Of Cancer During Inspection : A report has revealed that about 95% of the silver donated by devotees at the Vaishno Devi Temple is not genuine. The issue came to light when a government mint examined large quantities of donated silver. The Test found that only around 5–6% was real silver, while the rest was made up of cheaper metals like cadmium and iron.
The matter has been reported to senior officials at the mint. Authorities suspect that jewellers operating near the temple may be involved. Serious allegations have been raised against them for selling fake silver to devotees while charging full price for pure silver.
The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board had sent 20 tonnes of silver to the government mint for standard melting and storage. The shrine board had expected that the market value of this silver would be Rs 500 to 550 crores. But after verification, it was found that the value of this silver was only Rs 30 crores. The government mint has also refused to test this silver. Because the smoke emitted during the melting of cadmium is a cancer risk. The mint has also warned consumers that if these fake ornaments are used, they may get cancer in the future. So much silver has been melted as a precaution. No action has been taken in this incident so far. It is expected that action will be taken in the coming days.
The bigger worry here is safety.
Cadmium isn’t something harmless. It’s used in industrial work but is tightly restricted in everyday products under rules set by the Bureau of Indian Standards—and for good reason .
It’s toxic.
When heated, like during the melting process, cadmium releases fumes that can harm the lungs, damage kidneys, and even raise cancer risk over time. People working directly with it face the highest danger, especially without proper protection.
In fact, mint officials were initially reluctant to even handle the material because of these risks. They only went ahead after putting safety measures in place and using special equipment to deal with it.
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