Daily wager digs up diamond worth Rs 1.5 crore in MP’s Panna

BHOPAL: Family of a labourer in Panna on Tuesday was celebrating Diwali almost a month before the festival of lights and prosperity. Motilal Prajapati, 30, found a fortune when he dug out one of the biggest diamonds in the history of Panna's shallow diamond mines.
The diamond mined by Motilal weighed 42.9 carat, second heaviest in the history of Panna shallow diamond mines.In 1961, a 44.55 carat diamond, the biggest from the mines till date was found, said Santosh Singh, diamond officer of Panna.
The diamond officer of Panna district Santosh Singh said, "The gem quality precious stone has been valued at over Rs 1.5 crore. We will auction it according to government rules in the coming days."
Holding the precious stone between his thumb and forefinger, posing for TV cameras, a jubilant Motilal said, "Maza aa gayaa. This would help serve my elderly mother and father. Hope the the family now gets out of poverty."
He said his family was under debt. "This would not only help improve my family's financial situation, I would be able to come out of the debt . My two children would be able to study in good schools," Motilal said.