A farmer from Rajasthan’s Balotra district has been left shattered after termites allegedly destroyed Rs 5 lakh that he had secretly buried in his field. A widely shared video shows the tub containing the torn, termite-eaten currency notes, while the farmer appears visibly distraught in the footage.
Farmer Buries Cash In Field
Reports indicate that Pachpadra resident Mangilal Meghwal received about Rs 5 lakh from the sale of a plot nearly a year ago. He intended to use the amount to build a small house on his agricultural land, but was worried the cash might be stolen or used up by family members.
To safeguard the money, Mangilal allegedly placed the Rs 500 notes in a plastic bag and buried it in his field at night without telling his family. Later, when he needed the cash, he could not recall the precise location where he had hidden it. He spent several days searching across his nearly 10-bigha field but was unable to find the money. Eventually, he told his family about it, and they also looked for the buried cash before finally losing hope.
Termites Destroy Buried Notes
The money was found recently after rainfall while the family was getting the field ready for sowing. A tractor reportedly unearthed the polythene bag in which it was buried. The following day, Mangilal's wife and son spotted the bag and opened it, discovering that the Rs 500 notes inside had been badly damaged by termites.
The family subsequently visited bank branches in Pachpadra and Balotra with the damaged notes. They were reportedly told to go to a bank in Jaipur due to the condition of the currency.
Farmer Hopes To Recover Money
The family says that financial constraints and limited information have made it difficult for them to travel to Jaipur. Mangilal now hopes that the damaged notes can somehow be exchanged so he can reclaim his hard-earned Rs 5 lakh.
The farmer has reportedly said he regrets choosing to bury the cash in the field, explaining that his effort to protect the money from theft and relatives ultimately led to the notes being destroyed by termites.