Rusted artillery shell found during excavation secured by bomb disposal squad

Officials from Hinjewadi police station said the shell was found during the excavation work undertaken by the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) for the construction of a nullah wall near the Maan Mahalunge Road around 2.30pm on Wednesday.

Sonyabapu Deshmukh, inspector at Hinjewadi police station, said, “Prima facie, it is a rusted shell. It is possibly of pre-Independence era and was probably misfired from a gun at the time. Workers on the construction site found it and informed the police. We called in the BDDS and they have moved it to a safe space. We have informed the defence authorities. After their team examines it, we will take a call on further course of action, including controlled disposal.”

Based on preliminary observation, some defence officials said the shell could be a pre-independence vintage field artillery shell.
This is not the first time that a rusted old ammunition has been discovered during excavations in and around Pune. In December last year, a hand grenade was found during excavation for the Pune Metro on the Shivajinagar-Hinjewadi route and earlier in March 2021, during the Pune Metro work on Baner Road. In July 2022, a hand grenade was found in the Manjari Khurd area.

Officials said with the presence of a large number of defence institutions in and around Pune since pre-independence era, there is always a possibility of discovery of misfired, unexploded ammunition or ammunition lost during transit while undertaking present-day excavation work.