Some broken pieces of stone carvings, apparently parts of some ancient columns, were found during excavation at a construction site in Maharashtra's Thane city, prompting the authorities to order a probe.
These remnants were found on a private plot near Anand Ashram in Tembhi Naka area on Thursday, following which construction work has been stopped, officials said on Saturday.
This discovery was made shortly after the unearthing of a rare Brahma idol during excavation at the ancient Siddheshwar temple in the same area.
After the finding, local heritage enthusiast Kailas Mhapadi informed District Collector Ashok Shingare about it, and urged him to take steps to protect these relics. The collector then instructed the Archaeology Department to conduct an investigation into their nature and origin.
When contacted, Director of Maharashtra Archaeology and Museums Tejas Garge told PTI that he has directed the officials to investigate these remnants.
Historian Sadashiv Tetvilkar said, "This area has a history of yielding significant archaeological pieces. These findings are likely to be temple remnants and deserve immediate examination."
The Tembhi Naka region lies within Thane's ancient cultural belt, which includes landmarks like the Kopineshwar temple, Mahagiri Hill and Dagdi Shala.
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