india

Updated: Dec 29, 2018 23:49 IST

A World War-II era aerial bomb has been retrieved at Netaji Subhas Dock off the Kolkata Port Trust during a routine dredging operation on Friday.

The Kolkata Port Trust cordoned off the dock and filed a first information report with the Kolkata Police.

“We have informed the Indian Navy and the Indian Army. The bomb has been cordoned off by Central Industrial Security Force. The 4.5-metre-long 450kg aerial bomb, with US army markings, was located around 2pm yesterday during,” said Kolkata Port Trust chairman, Vinit Kumar. The Netaji Dock was extensively used by the US Navy during World War II for its operations.

According to Kolkata Port Trust officials, the Indian Navy has confirmed it the bomb is a US- Army made bomb as per markings found on it.

Kumar said that the port trust is expediting the process of defusing the bomb. “The bomb does not pose any risk as the safety lock is still in place and aerial bombs have to be dropped from a certain height to make an impact,” he added.

“It remained under water for many years. We are not sure how it landed there. It was maybe being carried in a ship and fell in the river while being taken to shore from ship,” Kumar said.