Rusted mortar shell recovered from Fazilka village

Panic gripped Muthianwali village in Fazilka on Sunday night after a 51mm mortar shell was recovered, officials said, adding that police clarified there was no immediate threat

Panic gripped Muthianwali village in Fazilka on Sunday night after a 51mm mortar shell was recovered, officials said, adding that police clarified there was “no immediate threat”.

Panic gripped Muthianwali village in Fazilka on Sunday night after a 51mm mortar shell was recovered, officials said, adding that police clarified there was no immediate threat.

According to Fazilka senior superintendent of police (SSP) Varinder Singh Brar, the mortar shell appeared to be “old and rusted”.

“The shell seems to have been lying there for a long time. It does not appear to be connected to a present-day security issue,” the SSP said.

Brar said preliminary inspections suggest the shell was not live and likely left behind from previous military activity or training exercises in the area, which is 7 km from the India-Pakistan border and 11 km from Fazilka city.

Officials say the recovery is not uncommon as the area sees occasional military movement and recoveries of remnants from past conflicts.

Soon after the discovery, a quick response team (QRT) from the Border Security Force (BSF) and police was called, which confirmed there was no danger. Fazilka police cordoned off the area for initial investigation to ensure safety of people.

“We are investigating to trace the origin of the shell. There is no cause for concern,” SSP Brar said.