Army Defuses Suspected WWII-Era Bomb Found In Jharkhand’s East Singhbhum

Personnel of the Indian Army and Jharkhand Police bomb disposal squad on Wednesday successfully defused a suspected World War II-era bomb discovered in the Baharagora area of East Singhbhum district, officials said.

The 227-kg metallic explosive device was spotted by villagers on April 15 on the Swarnarekha riverbed near Panipada–Nagudsai , nearly 90 km from Jamshedpur. Locals reportedly noticed the iron-like object while visiting the riverbank, triggering panic in the area before authorities were alerted.

Police immediately cordoned off the site and restricted public movement as a precaution, while experts warned that despite its age, the device could still explode. Security personnel were deployed around the spot and the Army was called in to examine and neutralise the bomb safely.

According to officials, Army engineers conducted a controlled bomb disposal operation on Wednesday morning. Personnel dug a trench in the riverbed, placed the explosive inside, and covered it with sandbags before triggering a controlled detonation to minimise the impact of the blast.

Officer-in-Charge of Baharagora police station Shankar Prasad Kushwaha confirmed that the device was safely neutralised without any injuries or property damage .

Officials said the bomb resembled a cylindrical aerial ordnance believed to date back to the Second World War , possibly similar to American-made bombs recovered earlier in the region.

The discovery is part of a pattern of repeated recoveries in the area. On March 25, Army personnel had defused two similar WWII-era explosives in East Singhbhum within a gap of 30 minutes under tight security arrangements. One of them weighed around 200 kg and was unearthed during sand excavation , while another was later found during inspection of a nearby house.

Experts believe the falling river levels and shifting sandbanks may be exposing explosives buried decades ago, raising concerns that more unexploded ordnance could remain hidden along the Swarnarekha river belt.

Residents have urged authorities to conduct comprehensive scanning of the riverbank area to prevent future accidents and ensure public safety.