Manipur: 45 kg unexploded World War II artillery shell disposed of in Thoubal

The Bomb Disposal Squad of Manipur Police transported the ordnance and safely neutralised it at Langathel Chingol after taking all necessary precautionary measures

IMPHAL: A 45-kg unexploded artillery shell suspected to be from World War II was safely disposed of by a bomb disposal squad in Manipur’s Thoubal district on Saturday, officials confirmed.

Police said the shell was discovered on August 28 around 4.30pm at Khangabok Part-3 Makha Leikai when earth was being unloaded from a tipper truck at the residence of Moirangthem Nabachandra.

Police said the shell was discovered on August 28 around 4.30pm at Khangabok Part-3 Makha Leikai when earth was being unloaded from a tipper truck at the residence of Moirangthem Nabachandra. The soil had been collected from the bank of the Heirok river. Following the recovery, a case was registered at Thoubal police station. The Bomb Disposal Squad of Manipur Police later transported the ordnance and safely neutralised it at Langathel Chingol after taking all necessary precautionary measures.

“This was a heavy shell that could have caused massive damage if mishandled. Luckily, it was detected before any accident occurred,” a senior police officer said.

Experts described the device as a large-calibre artillery shell consistent with munitions used during the 1940s campaigns in northeast India. The discovery has again highlighted Manipur’s role in the Battle of Imphal (March–July 1944), which, along with the Battle of Kohima, marked a decisive turning point in the Burma Campaign of World War II.

“Manipur was at the heart of one of the fiercest battles of the Second World War,” said an Imphal-based historian. “The Imphal Valley saw air raids, artillery bombardments, and hand-to-hand combat. It is not surprising that remnants like unexploded shells still surface even after 80 years.”

Last month, construction workers in Imphal West district unearthed other relics from the war, including empty ammunition cases, grenades, spades, water bottles, alcohol bottles, and a corroded metal box.

When contacted authorities urged citizens to exercise caution. “If anyone comes across such suspicious objects, they must not attempt to move them. Report immediately to the nearest police station,” the Thoubal district administration advised.