FACT CHECK: Did Naga villagers actually stumble onto real diamonds by accident?

KOHIMA: Yesterday, videos surfaced on social media that showed villagers in Nagaland's Mon district's Wanching foraging for 'diamonds' in the dirt. In the videos, it could be seen that hundreds (if not thousands) were digging up the Earth with crude instruments. The videos first surfaced on November 25 and were extensively shared on social media platforms, eventually becoming a viral phenomenon.

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The videos, which went viral on social media, were circulated along with the message that the stones discovered by the Nagas could actually be precious diamonds which obviously fetch crores in the market as the demand is very high. So, is it true that unsuspecting villagers from a remote Mon village stumbled onto a treasure.

THE FACT:

According to reports, the diamond-like stone was found by one of the villagers of Wanching when he was farming.

Tonyei Angh, the village council chairman of Wanching has revealed to media that as soon as the stone was hit by hammer, it broke into many pieces -- immediately proving that it was not a diamond.

According to reports, Angh intimated the Assam Rifles' personnel stationed near the village to check the stone. The jawans apparently clarified that it was not a diamond, but, in fact, a crystal stone.

However, the pictures became so popular that even the Nagaland government ordered an investigation into this incident.

Four geologists are directed "to investigate and submit the status report at the earliest" about the supposed precious stone. The villagers, meanwhile, remain wary about the possible spread of fake news" about this reportedly precious stone.

The council issued an order for its resident to not circulate any fake news on social media.

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