Workers find buried gold treasure in Madhya Pradesh, keep it for themselves
The gold worth lakhs is estimated to be more than 200 years old.
Eight workers who were employed to dig and excavate an old plot for new construction found themselves in a merry moment for a jiffy when they got their hands on a very old gold treasure and decided to take it all home.
The eight were given a task to work on a 2,600 square feet plot of land in Dhar when they found a metallic utensil inside of which were gold jewellery as well as some 84 gold coins. They also found 2 other gold pieces in the same spot. Instead of informing the authorities, the workers decided to split the prized possession and keep it for themselves.
The total gold weighs around 1 kilogram amounting to approximately 60 lakhs worth. This amount may further shoot up once the archaeological team evaluated its significance from their point of view keeping in mind that the treasure in question looks more than 200 years old and is supposedly issued by the princely state of erstwhile Jodhpur.
The matter came to light when the police got a tip as one of the workers sold a coin worth ₹56,000 to clear his debt and could not keep the news to himself as he spoke to too many people about his good luck.
On intimation, Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) of the Indore office was able to recover 83 coins and the other 2 gold pieces. In addition, Ashutosh Mahashabde, head of ASI Indore informed that digging to search for any other treasure that might be present within the plot is being undertaken.
The owner of the house told that the family was living there for the past 100 years and were not looking for any kind of treasure, their sole aim was to construct a new house since the present one had become very old.
The workers were soon arrested because as per the Indian Treasure Trove Act 1878, anyone who finds a treasure valued more than ₹10 has to inform the district administration. It is also the responsibility of the finder to deposit the discovered item either with the district revenue officials or undertake to produce it before officials when required. The government retains the right to acquire the treasure on payment of its value and a 20% premium.
