India temple 16th-century Sree Padmanabhaswamy find: gold, jewels worth $22 billion

NEW DELHI — Govement officials are opening up two more vaults at a Hindu temple in southe India where billions of dollars in gold coins, precious stones and jewels already has been discovered.

A govement panel was set Monday to open the last of the secret underground chambers at the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple. The six vaults at the 16th century temple in Trivandrum the state of Kerala had been sealed for more than 150 years.

Unofficial estimates put the value of the treasure already found at $22 billion.

Kerala's police chief Jacob Punnoose said he sent extra police officers to guard the temple and is planning a high-tech security system to protect the treasure.

An Indian police officer stands guard outside the the 16th-century Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Trivandrum, the capital of the southe state of Kerala, India, Monday, July 4, 2011. A vast treasure trove of gold coins, jewels and precious stones unearthed at the lightly guarded Hindu temple in India was expected to grow further in value Monday as the last two secret vaults sealed for nearly 150 years are opened. The govement has increased security since the treasure's discovery in recent days, which has instantly tued the temple into one of the wealthiest religious institutions in the country.