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Farmer finds diamond worth ₹30 lakh after 2-year dig in MP village

Prakash Sharma says he will invest the money he gets from the diamond in starting a business.

Updated on: Sep 14, 2018, 23:37:31 IST
Hindustan Times, Bhopal | By
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A marginal farmer in Panna district, 413 km north of Bhopal, found a diamond worth 30 lakh, said a government official on Friday.

Diamond polishers in Gujarat’sSurat city. (Reuters file photo)
Diamond polishers in Gujarat’sSurat city. (Reuters file photo)

Prakash Sharma found the 12.58 carat diamond on a land he had leased near his village Janakpur, said Panna district diamond mining officer Santosh Singh. “The diamond has been deposited in our office. Its quality is good,” said Singh.

“According to our gem experts the diamond’s starting price can be around 30 lakh. The price can go up further during an auction next month”, he said.

Sharma told journalists he was overjoyed. He had been digging the 25×25 feet land for two years to find a diamond. “I didn’t engage local labourers, as I couldn’t afford them. I will invest the money once I get from the auction in business and farming”, he said.

According to the mining officer, 11% of the amount from the auction will go to the state government.

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