Thiruvananthapuram | The gold, which had gone missing from the famous Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple here, has been found, police said on Sunday.

The gold, in the form of a 20 cm-long rod, was discovered on a pathway near the strongroom where it had been kept inside the temple.

It was recovered during an inspection by the police. Around 12 sovereigns (approximately 96 grams) of gold had been stored at the temple for gold plating work.

Police said they are still investigating how the gold, which was stored in the strongroom, ended up on the sandy pathway.

On Saturday, an officer from the Fort police station, where the complaint was filed, stated that gold plating work was last done two days ago, after which the remaining gold was secured in a locker.

When the gold was taken out again for work, around 12 sovereigns were found to be missing, following which temple authorities lodged a complaint, he said.

The temple, known for its vast treasures, is one of the richest in the world.