They were rusted and dead. But the artillery shells from 1971 just brought back the memory of those days of Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971 and Tripura’s contribution to the birth of a new nation.
It was during an excavation at Rangutia village in Bamutia, West Tripura district, on Wednesday, many artillery shells–27 in total- believed to be from the 1971 Liberation War of Bangladesh were unearthed.
The unearthing occurred when Dulal Nama, a farmer from Rangutia village, was digging soil for fish cultivation. His spade hit a heavy iron object, prompting him and other workers to expand the excavation out of curiosity, leading to the discovery of several cannon shells.
Initially, three to four shells were found, drawing a crowd of intrigued villagers. The incident was reported to the Bamutia police, and as the excavation continued, a total of 27 shells were recovered. Police confirmed that the shells were not live.
Villagers speculated that during the Bangladesh Liberation War, freedom fighters might have stored the shells in the border village. Some suspected the shells might have belonged to the Pakistani army. Despite differing views, there was a shared belief that the shells were linked to the memories of the Liberation War. The villagers recalled that a camp of Mukti Juddhas (freedom fighters) had been located in the village.
