Puri: Using a metal detector at the historic Emar Mutt in this town, officials traced Thursday the presence of valuables like gold and silver. Once these were discovered a thorough search was also conducted in the library, courtyard and other premises of the mutt to detect whether any other valuables could be found, officials said.
A four-member team of state Archeology department conducted the search in presence of the mutt’s seer, Endowment Commissioner’s representative, Trusty Board members, local police officials, and a number of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration and district level officials.
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According to a source, a total of four spots near the library were marked after presence of metallic valuables was detected by the scanner. A meeting of the trusty board of the mutt will soon be conducted under the chairmanship of Endowment Commissioner to decide on excavation of the demarcated areas, the official said.
Expecting presence of more valuables, the newly-formed Trusty Board had recently asked for through scanning of the mutt premises.
In 2011, around 522 silver bricks were unearthed from the Emar Mutt premises. Subsequently, 45 more silver bricks were found April 10 the same year, Puri Additional Collector Binay Kumar Das stated.
PNN