Rusting Old Mortar Shell Recovered During Excavation in Kathua’s Hiranagar

HIRANAGAR, AUGUST 04, 2026: Panic briefly gripped the Kattal Brahmana village in the Hiranagar sector of Kathua district on Tuesday morning after an old, rusted mortar shell was uncovered during routine excavation work.

The explosive device was spotted at around 9:15 AM in the courtyard of an abandoned house belonging to Subash Chander, son of Nago Ram. Recognizing the potential danger, local residents immediately alerted the Border Police Post (BPP) Sherpur.

A police team swiftly arrived at the scene, cordoned off the area to ensure public safety, and took custody of the shell. Authorities subsequently notified the Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) from the District Police Lines (DPL) Kathua to safely defuse the ordnance.