One Bofors shell defused, another handed over to Army in Kashmir

Srinagar Jul 3 (UNI) Panic prevailed in south Kashmir's villages when two Bofors shells were found, official sources said today.

They said people in Shangus, Nowgam village in south Kashmir district of Anantnag were busy in their normal work when two shells were found in the fields.

Police was immediately informed and the entire area was sealed.

Later, Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) defused one of the shells without causing any damage while another was handed over to Army, they added.

The shells had earlier remained unexploded during the devastating fire in the ammunition depot at Khandroo in August, that left more than 20 people, mostly army fire-fighters killed and scores injured.

About half-a-dozen civilians were also killed or wounded when they touched the unexploded shells in about a dozen villages.

The Army authorities pressed into service about 100 BDS, brought from different parts of the country, to defuse the unexploded shells in the affected villages before the residents were allowed to return to their homes after about-a-month.

During the past two months more than three dozen live fuses and shells were detected and destroyed by the BDS in Nowgam, Pahloo, Shaguns and Khandroo villages without causing any damage.

UNI BAS SW KN1431