A suspected World War II-era bomb has been discovered in Jharkhand, India, prompting authorities to seek expert assistance from the Indian Army for safe inspection and disposal, raising concerns about unexploded ordnance in the region.
A bomb, suspected to be from the World War II era, has been found on a river bed in Baharagora area of Jharkhand's East Singhbhum district, police said on Thursday.
In March, personnel of the Indian Army had defused two active bombs, also suspected to be from the same period, in Baharagora, they said.
"This bomb was spotted by villagers along the Swarnarekha river bed in Panipada area on Wednesday night. The spot is around 50-100 metres from the site where the two bombs were found earlier," SP (Rural) Rishabha Garg said.
"We are in talks with Indian Army personnel to inspect and initiate necessary action," Garg told PTI.
Officer-in-Charge of Baharagora police station, Shankar Prasad Kushwaha, said the bomb-like metallic object was similar in size and weight to the bombs discovered in March.
"We have deployed police personnel at the spot as a precautionary measure," he said.
On March 25, personnel of the Indian Army had defused the explosives stuffed in metallic cylinder-shaped containers within a gap of 30 minutes from one another, amid tight security arrangements.
One of the bombs, weighing around 200 kg, was unearthed during sand excavation along the Panipada-Nagudsai stretch in Baharagora area, around 90 km from Jamshedpur, officials had said.
The second bomb of a similar shape was discovered in a villager's house during inspection of the spot.
The explosives were dumped in a 25-30 feet trench that was dug close to the spot, and covered with sand bags to minimise any damage during the exercise.