500-year-old coins found

‘Ashtadhatu' (comprising 8 metals) and copper coins over 500 years old were found during the digging of a road here, police said here on Sunday.

According to Superintendent of Police R.K. Bhardwaj, the digging was being carried out on Saturday at Bijrupurwa village at Masauli under the MNREGA programme when labourers recovered a mud pitcher containing the coins bearing the name of Firoz Sultan of the Mughal period. He said the labourers thought them to be gold and distributed them among themselves.

Labourers arrested

When the police got to know about the incident, they launched a search operation. Seven labourers were arrested and 30 coins recovered.

A search is on for the other labourers.