SRINAGAR: Two rusted unexploded mortar shells were recovered from separate forward villages in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district on Monday and safely neutralised by the Army’s Bomb Disposal Squad, officials said.
According to officials, the first mortar shell was found in an open field near Chajjla bridge in the Mankote area after local residents noticed the explosive and informed the police and security forces. The area was immediately secured before the Army’s Bomb Disposal Squad was called to assess the device.
The explosive was later destroyed in a controlled explosion after all prescribed safety protocols were followed, officials said.
In a separate incident, another unexploded mortar shell was recovered from agricultural fields in Adhaki village near Mendhar Nallah. Bomb disposal experts safely defused and destroyed the shell without any incident.
Officials said the unexploded ordnance is believed to be a remnant of past cross-border shelling along the Line of Control (LoC).
No casualties or damage to property were reported in either incident.
