A maidam at Chiraideo. Telegraph picture

Sivasagar, Sept. 6: Goons dug up a 15-foot deep pit at a historic maidam (burial place of Ahom kings) at Charaideo, about 30km from here, last night.

“They dug the pit in search of precious items inside the maidam. It is yet to be verified if they managed to take away any items,” a source said.

Charaideo, the first capital of the Ahoms, has at least 100 maidams and most of them are unprotected.

These maidams have tomb vaults resembling the famous pyramids of Egypt

The Archaeological Survey of India looks after some of the maidams while the state archaeological department is responsible for preservation of some others.

The archaeological department is in charge of the maidam which was dug up, the source said.

Officials of the department reported the incident to Mathurapur police, which is investigating the matter.

The incident has invited sharp reactions from different organisations and the people.

All Tai Ahom Students’ Union leader Basanta Gogoi has termed the incident as “unfortunate” and demanded adequate protection to maidams.

“Forty-two Ahom kings were buried at the Charaideo maidam. The place has great historical importance and we shall never allow anyone to destroy them,” the source added.

Siu-Ka-Pha, the founder of the Ahom dynasty, after travelling to different places in Upper Assam, finally settled at Charaideo where he found the soil most suitable for habitation and made it his capital.