Panic and excitement gripped Sidra village in Rajasthan’s Tonk district on Saturday after rumours of a buried treasure spread following the discovery of a mysterious metal pot during excavation. People from several nearby villages rushed to the site, leading to chaos and a brief law-and-order situation.
The incident occurred around 5:30 pm on grazing land in Sidra village under the Niwai police station limits. According to officials, the administration began excavation after locals found religious items on the deserted land and suspected something valuable buried underground. Acting on the information, the tehsildar ordered digging using a JCB machine.
After nearly 30 minutes of excavation, an old metal pot weighing around 100–150 kg was recovered from a depth of about 10 feet. The pot, approximately two feet tall and one-and-a-half feet wide, contained metal pieces resembling gold, triggering rumours of a gold-filled treasure.
As the pot was pulled out, villagers allegedly tried to grab the contents, with some fleeing the spot. Police personnel struggled to control the crowd and later recovered most of the metal pieces, though officials suspect some may be missing.
Authorities have secured the pot at the treasury office for examination. Police are also investigating who authorised the excavation and whether the find qualifies as buried treasure under the Indian Treasure Trove Act.
