AU locker opened after over 25 yrs, items match report published in TOI

Prayagraj: After two days of efforts, the authorities of Allahabad University finally succeeded in opening the defender locker placed in the central library of the university's Arts faculty. Ancient coins of different metals, a Farman (royal decree), and Vinay Pitaka in Pali language inscribed on a copper plate were found inside the locker, which was opened after around 25 years since it was locked.
Interestingly, the items found matched with a report published in TOI on April 18, 2012 and again on Thursday (Oct 17, 2024). The TOI report was based on the first-hand account narrated to the scribe by the late Prof Manas Mukul Das, who, in the capacity of Honorary Librarian way back in 1998, was instrumental in purchasing the safe and keeping the items (recovered safely from the locker on Thursday).
The safe couldn't be opened as it required a set of three keys, two of which were not traced at AU. Finally, vice-chancellor prof Sangita Srivastava and instructed the authorities to break open the safe and properly catalogue and display the content.
The efforts to open the safe started on Wednesday, but even after an entire day's efforts the locksmith couldn't open it. The efforts were resumed on Thursday in the presence of members of a committee formed by the AU VC.
AU PRO prof Jaya Kapoor said, "The locker containing items of archaeological importance kept in the Central Library of AU was opened in front of the high-level committee appointed by the VC, and a list of archaeological heritage kept in it was prepared." Three types of heritage were found in the locker, including coins of different metals from the period of different rulers obtained from archaeological excavations, a royal decree written in Persian, and Vinay Pitaka in the Pali language inscribed on a copper plate, she added.
The said heritage will be kept in the AU museum, and will be used as research material, said the PRO. "All the heritage items have been sealed and kept back in the locker," said the PRO.