In what can be described as a bizarre case, the footprints of a dinosaur in Rajasthan have vanished mysteriously.
The Rajasthan University had In 2014 organised and held the 9th International Congress on the Jurassic System in which there was a discussion on the possibility of dinosaurs having once inhabited Rajasthan. Following this a search for evidence was launched in Thaiyat village hills. A group of 20 researchers confirmed that dinosaurs did roam in Rajasthan when they discovered footprints.
Now the nearly 150 million old footprints have been allegedly stolen.
According to a report in Dainik Bhaskar, what makes the incident interesting is that although the alleged theft took place a month ago, the officials became aware of it only recently.
One of the explorers who was part of the team, Dhirendra Kumar Pandey, was informed by a student of his, that the footprints were not at the spot where they had been found. Pandey said they made efforts to locate it but were not successful. He also was disappointed that the authorities had not made appropriate arrangements to guard this discovery.
Talking to the media Narayan Das Inkhia, a groundwater scientist in Jaisalmer, who was also a part of the team, remarked: “It is a matter of great concern that these footprints have disappeared. I was among the team when the footprints were discovered seven years ago. Ashish Modi, the administrative officer of the area, was also unaware of this mishap. Such a huge discovery has disappeared, and it needs immediate investigation.”
Considered one of the rare discoveries made in eight countries, including India, these footprints are three fat-fingered and nearly 30 cm long. This indicates that the animals were three metres in height.
The researchers analysed and revealed that the print were of Eubrontes genesis belonging to the Theropods, which were a bipedal group of dinosaurs. They also said that there are several other footprints in the neighbouring regions but are buried in the hills, except the two footprints that have now gone missing.
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