BHOPAL: A bore-well being dug to address drinking water woes of commoners during summer in Kurawar town of Rajgarh district of Madhya Pradesh has sprung a fountain of a century-old wealth of British colonial era.
Workers engaged in digging a bore-well in government land in Ward No. 11 of Kurawar town of Rajgarh district (60 km from state capital Bhopal) on Tuesday evening were in for a rare surprise.
Just when the digging machine reached a depth of around 100 feets, a fount of water sprung up bringing cheers from workers and curious residents of the parched area.
But a real surprise was in store for the people present there, as the sudden pressure of groundwater also led to the emergence of century-old rare silver coins dating back to British Colonial era of King George V.
Seeing the dozens of rare silver coins come out, many people grabbed the precious relics and vanished from the spot.
"Coming to know about the happening when the local police reached the spot, they managed to seize three silver coins of one rupee denomination dating back to British rule period of 1912-1919. All the three coins of 1912, 1913 and 1919 have been seized and the police have lodged a case against unidentified persons for decamping with the rare coins from King George V era," said Kurawar town Nayab Tehsildar Arvind Diwakar.
"However, it's yet to be ascertained how many coins have been taken away by those present there, though local residents have claimed that more than 30 coins could have been taken away," said Diwakar, who himself rushed to the spot on Tuesday.
The information about the emergence of rare silver coins of one rupee denomination during bore-well digging has been officially communicated to the SDM and district collector under the Indian Treasure Trove Act 1878.
"Mining and bore-well digging activity have been banned in the concerned locality with immediate effect in the wake of Tuesday's development. The entire area has been cordoned off and police deployed there, "said Diwakar.
Each of the three silver coins of one rupee denomination weighing 10 gm each are presently valued in the jewellery market at Rs 650 each, the revenue department official claimed.
According to Diwakar, archaeological experts from Bhopal will arrive in Kurawar on Thursday for a detailed survey of the site for a possible British era treasure trove as well as be studying the three seized one rupee coins.
Importantly, the municipal body in Kurawar town in Narsinghgarh block of Rajgarh district is presently engaged digging bore-wells in 15 wards of the town to combat drinking water woes of commoners during the coming summer season.