An undetonated World War II bomb, which was found in an open field in Jhargram’s Bhulanpur village near Gopiballabhpur, was defused on Friday.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee wrote in her X handle on Friday that the state government machinery, including police and also the Indian Air Force, defused the bomb successfully.

“Yesterday, it came to our notice that an undetonated bomb of World War II was found in an open field in village Bhulanpur, Gopiballavpur in Jhargram district. State government machinery including police and also airforce immediately swung into action. Public from nearby area were shifted to safe & secure place,” the chief minister posted on X.

While thanking everyone involved in the process, the chief minister said the bomb was successfully defused.

“Therefore it was safely and successfully defused. I thank everyone involved for the good work done,” the chief minister wrote.

Local residents said the bomb was initially found by some villagers in an agricultural field on the banks of the Subarnarekha on Thursday.

“Initially, nobody could identify what it was. Later the police were informed. The district officials along with the police visited the spot and it was identified as an undetonated bomb that was perhaps used during World War II,” said a villager.

Parvez Sarfaraz, the subdivisional police officer (SDPO) of Gopiballabhpur, said thousands of villagers had gathered to see the bomb after it was found.

“But all safety measures were taken to ensure that the bomb does not go off before it is defused,” he said.

Senior officials in the district said safety measures were taken while defusing the bomb.

“The area was cordoned off with bags full of sand and common people were moved out from the close vicinity of the area where the bomb was defused,” said an official.