Woman finds eight diamonds worth several lakh at mine in MP's Panna

A woman labourer has found eight diamonds, which could fetch her lakhs of rupees, at a mine in Madhya Pradesh's Panna district, an official said on Saturday.

Rachna Goldar, a local resident in her 50s, found eight precious stones with a total weight of 2.53 carats, six of which are of high quality, the official said.

Diamond expert Anupam Singh said, "The biggest diamond weighs 0.79 carat. Besides, two stones are off-colour."  He said Goldar deposited the stones at the district diamond office, from where they will be put up for auction, and are likely to be worth several lakh rupees.

Goldar, mother to three grown-up children, had taken a mining lease in the Hazara Mudda area and found the stones while digging.

She expressed hope that the auction proceeds would improve her financial condition.

In Panna, an eight-metre mining plot is leased for Rs 200 annually. Diamond auctions are held every three months with traders from across the country participating.

The final auction price is subject to a 12 per cent government deduction, including 11 per cent royalty and 1 per cent TDS, with the remaining amount given to the discoverer, people engaged in mining said.