KOCHI: Over a hundred precious stones, including sapphires, rubies, agate, and hessonite, along with a silver collection and elephant tusks, are kept inside the famous Thrippunithura Poornathrayeesa Temple. The temple also holds 64.5 kilograms of gold ornaments used for daily rituals and festivals. Despite this vast treasure, only two unarmed security guards are on duty at a time to protect these priceless items. There are just four guards in total, all working on a shift basis, and all are temporary employees.

The valuables are stored in two vaults and inside the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. Even though a large portion of the jewels and gems that existed when the Kochi royal family handed over the temple to the Cochin Devaswom Board has gone missing, no significant security upgrades

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