Farmer finds 16.10 carat diamond in Panna mine

A farmer and three others found a 16.10-carat diamond in a mine in Madhya Pradesh's Panna district on Tuesday, officials said. Dilip Mistry, the farmer who had leased a piece of land in Jaruapur area for excavation with his three associates, said he would use the money from the diamond's auction for improving his family's finances.

The gem-quality diamond will be put up for sale in the next government auction, said Anupam Singh, an official from the Panna diamond office. It is expected to fetch a good price, he said, without giving any figure. The sale proceeds are given to the owner or owners after deducting the government royalty.

Mistry told reporters that he had struck lucky in the same diamond mine earlier too, and he would continue mining. Panna district, located in Bundelkhand region, is estimated to have diamond reserves of 12 lakh carats. In July, a labourer had found a 19.22-carat diamond in a mine in the area.