Kozhikode: An object suspected to be an artillery shell was found entangled in the fishing net of workers who had ventured into the sea from the Puthiyappa fishing harbour here, prompting the police and bomb squad to launch an inspection.

The object was recovered while the workers were fishing in the sea on September 9. As they could not initially identify it or realise the potential danger, they brought it back to the harbour and kept it in a shed where fishing equipment was stored.

Later, one of their friends who saw the object suspected that it could be a shell and advised them to inform the police. The workers told the authorities that they had no idea what the object was and had not realised that it could pose a serious threat.

On being alerted, the bomb squad and Coastal Police reached Puthiyappa harbour and examined the object. It was subsequently shifted to the Armed Reserve (AR) camp as a precautionary measure.

Elathur Coastal Police said the Coast Guard and Navy authorities had been informed and would conduct a detailed inspection to establish the nature and origin of the shell.

“Our bomb squad is not equipped to verify the details of the shell. So, we have contacted the Navy and Coast Guard. They will inspect it. There are no markings or writings on the shell. We have to verify whether it was used as an explosive shell or for training purposes,” a senior Coastal Police officer said.