Recurring WWII-Era bomb finds in Jharkhand river bed trigger security response

A suspected World War II-era bomb has been found on a river bed in the Baharagora area of Jharkhand’s East Singhbhum district , raising fresh concerns over recurring discoveries of explosive materials in the region, police said on Thursday.

The object was spotted by villagers on Wednesday night along the Swarnarekha river bed in Panipada area , around 50–100 metres from a previous recovery site where similar bombs were found earlier this year.

Superintendent of Police (Rural) Rishabha Garg said authorities are in touch with Indian Army personnel for inspection and necessary action. “We are in talks with Indian Army personnel to inspect and initiate necessary action,” he said.

Officer-in-Charge of Baharagora police station Shankar Prasad Kushwaha confirmed that the metallic object appears similar in size and weight to bombs recovered in March. “We have deployed police personnel at the spot as a precautionary measure,” he said.

The latest discovery has renewed attention on safety risks in the riverine stretch , where unexploded ordnance suspected to be from the World War II period has been recovered multiple times in recent months. Officials say such findings underscore the need for systematic clearance and sustained monitoring of the area to prevent accidental detonations.

In March, the Indian Army defused two live bombs in Baharagora, including one weighing around 200 kg , discovered during sand excavation along the Panipada–Nagudsai stretch, about 90 km from Jamshedpur . Another similar device was later found during inspection near a local residence. The explosives were safely neutralised in controlled operations.

Authorities have intensified local vigilance and security deployment in the affected zone while awaiting specialised examination by bomb disposal experts. Further action will be taken after technical assessment by the Army.