A vintage 1,000-pound bomb from World War II has been retrieved during the dredging operations at the Netaji Subhas Dock of the Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT), an official said on Saturday.
"A World War-II vintage 1,000-pound bomb was retrieved while deepening the Netaji Subhas Dock berth of Kolkata Port by grabbing dredger on Friday. It is an aerial bomb probably from 2nd World War," a KoPT official told IANS.
The port officials have lodged an FIR with the police.
"Kolkata Police is coordinating. Indian Navy and the Indian Army have been informed. The bomb has been cordoned off on berth II of the dock by CISF," the port official said.
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"It remained under water for many years. It is difficult to say how it landed there. Maybe, it was being carried in a ship and fell in the river while being taken to shore from ship. We do not know the exact reasons," said Commodore Suprobho K. De, Naval Officer-in-Charge, West Bengal.
"Our examination suggested that the aerial bomb was probably made in the US as there are US markings on it. We are extending our cooperation to KoPT for arranging inspections by experts. We do not take any chances with such explosives," he told IANS.
The Indian Ordnance Factory Board may also be contacted for inspection, said the official.
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The bomb will be stored in the museum once it is declared safe, he added.
IANS
