Times of India ( Hyderabad edition of Oct.19, 2013 ) has a
front page headline, “big dig: Peepli live in Unnao as Sarkar chases a golden
dream” with sub headline “ ASI begins hunt for 1000 tonnes buried treasure”,
reported by Shailvee Sharda.
Hunt is on following a dream of swamy Shobhan Sarkar. ASI’s
excavation strategy is as per Sarkar’s dream.
The same paper
reveals that there is a PIL in SC for deputing a military officer and a team to
supervise the excavation. Page 13 says, ‘GSI finds metallic contents’. And
there is an editorial too. E-paper has four videos.
Deccan Chronicle too has reported. Modi is reported to have
mocked UPA as ASI digs for seer ‘dream’ gold. He is reported to have said, “The
whole world is mocking us. Some body dreamt and govt. has started excavation….”
he is right.
There was a similar treasure hunt in Hyderabad in Feb. 2012
and was widely reported.
Hunt was opposite
the A P Secretariat and for treasure worth
Rs 20,000 crores.
Archaeology
Department received a sworn affidavit from nine prominent citizens led by Mr
T.B. Raju, chief manager (personnel), Coal India Limited.
They said they got
the information about two months ago but couldn’t muster enough courage to
reveal it to officials concerned fearing the mafia.
Based on the affidavit, a team of officials
from the Archaeology Department inspected the site on Saturday evening and
decided to start excavating on Sunday morning in the presence of a mason, who
will serve as a guide.
Sources said the
mason was the first person to have gone inside the tunnel where he saw two
almirahs full of jewels and precious stones..
Incidentally, the
prominent citizens who had petitioned the Archaeology Department, have demanded
that they be given their share — one-fifth of the treasure if it is found —
under the Treasure Trove Act 1878. This was reported in Deccan Chronicle on
19th Feb.2012
The mega 'treasure hunt', which
the archaeology department took up on Saturday, failed to yield any result till
late on Sunday evening. Even after 28 hours of digging, the department could
not find even a hint of treasure. The much enthused department officials have,
however, decided to go ahead with the exploration as according to them, it is
"necessary to ascertain facts behind the claim". Meanwhile, D S Raju,
one of the petitioners, said that he had seen the treasure and is hopeful to
find it. This was the report of Times of India of 20thFeb.2012
My questions then were:
Questions that come mind:
What happened to the masion who saw two almirahs full of
jewels? Should he not be interrogated?
Mr. D S Raju had said he had seen the treasure and was
hopeful to find it. If he saw he should show. Why he is not able to find the
location now?
It is possible that the treasure is already with them.
Are officials of archaeology department so naïve that they
started the treasure hunt without resistivity and magnetic survey?
I have my own doubts.
