Cooch Behar: Pakistani mortar shell found on India-B’desh border

Cooch Behar: An alarming incident unfolded on the India-Bangladesh border in Cooch Behar district, where a Pakistani mortar shell was spotted on Tuesday. The shell was found in Jhikri, a border area in the Chaudharihat region of Dinhata subdivision.

According to BSF and police sources, local farmer Hiten Modak was working on his field near the Jhikri border post when he unearthed the shell. He immediately informed BSF officials, who swiftly cordoned off the area to ensure safety and prevented any civilians from approaching the site.

Upon receiving the information, a special team from the Binnaguri Army Camp, including bomb disposal experts, arrived on Wednesday to handle the situation. The team transported the shell to a safe location and successfully defused it.

The mortar shell was reportedly marked with “Pakistan” and is believed to date back to the 1971 India-Pakistan war, sources stated. The incident has caused widespread concern among locals, who expressed fear over the incident.

Farmer Hiten Modak, who had found the shell, described his experience, saying: “While digging the earth, I noticed the shell and immediately reported it to the BSF. I later learned that it was a mortar shell, with ‘Pakistan’ written on it. It’s the first time we’ve encountered such an object while farming here.”

Although BSF officials declined to comment on the matter, Dinhata Sub-divisional Police Officer Dhiman Mitra confirmed the incident.

“We were informed by BSF about the mortar shell. On Wednesday, the Binnaguri Army’s Bomb Squad arrived, secured the shell and safely defused it,” he stated.