Two bombs of the Worlds War II era found in West Bengal (representational image)
In an uncanny coincident, two bombs belonging to the World War II era were found in an area called 'boma pukur' or bomb pond in West Bengal's Nadia district.
Workers stumbled upon the two bombs, weighing 100 kg each, while digging the area for renovation, said police in Nadia. In a politically charged up environment ahead of the panchayat elections in Bengal, the discovery created excitement among the villagers, who gave rallies a skip and rushed to see the bombs, say villagers.
Police said the bombs, 50 inches in length and 38 inches in diameter, are believed to be of the World War II period. "We have informed the Army for necessary action," an officer said.
Army officials from Kolkata, around 100 km from Nadia came and inspected the bombs on Monday. They would be taking away the two bombs after necessary permission from the authorities, said police.
The bombs at the moment have been kept under a pile of sand in the compound of Hanskhali police station.
An official of the Nadia district administration said, in the early 1940s, an area which is now Kalyani city, used to be known as Roosevelt Town and an US airbase was located there. It is possible that the two bombs belonged to that airbase, the police officer said.
Kalyani, one of the cleanest townships in Bengal, still has remnants of the World War II, with the Air Force station at Kappa, old military barracks, an army hospital in Utarborath and several buildings named after American soldiers.
(With inputs from PTI)