Mortar-like object found in Assam's Jorhat drain, WWII-era ammunition suspected

Panic gripped residents of Cemetery Road in Assam’s Jorhat district on Tuesday after a mortar-like object suspected to be explosive was recovered during cleaning and excavation work in a Tokolai drain.

According to sources, workers engaged in cleaning the drain spotted the suspicious object and alerted the police. A police team, accompanied by the Additional Superintendent of Police of Jorhat, subsequently reached the spot to assess the situation.

Police sources said the object could be a mortar shell, an artillery projectile or ammunition from a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG). A bomb disposal team from Dergaon reportedly arrived at the site and shifted the object to a safe location for further examination.

Preliminary assessments suggest that the object may have been carried into the drain from a river along with waste and other debris. However, the possibility that it is old military ammunition has not been ruled out. There is also suspicion that it could date back to the Second World War.

The exact nature, origin and condition of the object are yet to be established and will be determined after examination by explosives experts.

The recovery has raised concerns among local residents over the presence of suspected explosive material in the area. Police have urged people to exercise caution and maintain a safe distance from any suspicious object resembling ammunition.

Residents have also been warned against touching, moving or tampering with such objects, which may contain explosive material and pose a serious safety risk. Anyone coming across a similar object has been advised to inform the police immediately.