KURNOOL: With the season’s first rainfall in Kurnool district, diamond seekers from Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka have started arriving in Maddikera and Tuggali mandals in search of precious stones. Villagers and fortune-seekers have flocked to areas such as Jonnagiri, Peravali, Pagidirayi, and Madanantapuram, driven by age-old legends linking the region to the buried treasures of Vijayanagara emperor Sri Krishnadevaraya and his minister Timmarusu.
Local sources reported a few recent discoveries of valuable stones, further fuelling the rush. “A rumour is spreading that a man from Tuggali found stones worth Rs 10 lakh,” said Jonnagiri resident G Rama Krishna. “We haven’t seen proof, but it’s enough to get people moving,” he added.
Currently, only local villagers are involved, but hundreds more from Kurnool, Anantapur, Kadapa, Prakasam, and Karnataka’s Bellary district are expected to arrive in the coming weeks.
Many will set up makeshift tents and camp in nearby areas. Experts say the rainfall helps expose stones by washing away the topsoil. Locals estimate that diamonds worth Rs 4 to Rs 5 crore are found annually in these mandals.
The impact on the local economy varies. While some villagers earn large sums overnight, others end up selling stones to middlemen, who resell them in trading hubs like Gootty in Anantapur district.
A police official from Pathikonda police sub-division confirmed that the seasonal search has begun, although no official reports of significant finds have been received. He also noted that Goa Mysore Services Pvt. Ltd. is currently conducting authorised drilling operations in Pagidirayi to explore gold and other minerals.