Gold rush in Unnao

Officials of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) have started excavations for a huge treasure, of about 1,000 tonnes of gold, lying buried under the Unnao fort, even as curious villagers at the Duandia Khera village in Uttar Pradesh are thronging the site.

The excavations follow revelations by a Hindu seer Sadhu Shobhan Sarkar that 1,000 of tonnes of gold are lying buried under the ruins of Unnao fort of former king Raja Ram Bux Singh.

While the quantum is disputable, people in the Daundia Kheda village, where the fort is situated, believe in the possibility of gold lying buried some where in the fort.

"There is a huge amount of gold buried under the fort. I believe we will find more treasure than we have space for in Unnao," said Sant Om ji Maharaj.

Shobhan Sarkar is reported to have convinced union minister Charandas Mahant of his dream, who in turn alerted the ASI and GSI officials to survey the area and begin digging.

"We had been given proposal by the gram sabha. They think gold is buried there," said VK Anand, district magistrate of Unnao.

Officials of the ASI also said preliminary findings suggested presence of "some metal underneath the earth", following which excavations started.

Experts, however, are not too sure about the possibility of 1,000 tonnes of gold being buried under the fort as Raja Rao Ram Bux Singh was a ruler who presided over a zamindari stretching not more than 25-30 km.

Amidst tight security, a 12-member team led by P K Mishra, deputy director ASI, is carrying out excavation work at the fort in Daundia Kheda village, after district magistrate Vijay Kiran Anand formally launched the operation after a traditional bhoomi pujan.

Heavy police force has been deployed around the fort, where huge crowds have gathered for a glimpse of the excavation work happening there.