INDORE: Rumours of buried treasure, allegedly fuelled by the recent movie ‘Chhava', have triggered a digging frenzy around the famed Asirgarh Fort in MP's Burhanpur, which has no shortage of legends associated with it.
Hundreds of villagers, armed with torchlights and some even carrying metal detectors, are digging up the fields around the fort in the hope of finding Mughal-era gold.
With chaos growing, the police and administration cordoned off the area on Saturday and restricted the entry of outsiders. The administration has sought a report on the "possibility of treasure" in the area.
Officials were alerted when videos of digging by torchlight swirled around on social media.
"Unidentified men reportedly dug up a field at night a few days ago in search of the coins. The administration took cognisance of the matter after a video went viral," collector Harsh Singh said, adding that Nepanagar subdivisional magistrate Bhagirath Wakhla inspected the site -- an agricultural field -- and found many pits dug up by the treasure hunters.
Asirgarh Fort, around 165km from Indore, dates to the 15th Century and was the site of many battles that shaped India's history. It has long been associated with legends of buried treasure, as with Raisen Fort, and both sites have seen such digging frenzies.
Nimbola police have deployed a team to secure the field. The farm owner, Harun Seth, has told the SDM that the illegal excavation has made farming difficult.
The SDM said they will have the archaeological department examine the site and emphasised that any archaeological artefacts found are to be handed over to the administration.
"I have sought a report from the SDM regarding any proof or clue to the presence of treasure, along with examining the financial status of some suspects," Singh said.
Tired of too many ads?