Meerut, June 19 -- An old mortar shell was discovered near a railway track in Bareilly's Subhash Nagar late Tuesday night prompting a high-alert response from the authorities after which an army bomb disposal squad successfully defused it. The shell was found during soil dumping work for which a JCB machine was used, according to senior superintendent of police Anurag Arya. "Late at night, as soil was being piled up near the railway track, an expired mortar shell surfaced. It appears to have been buried earlier, likely as part of a disposal effort," Arya said. He confirmed that the shell was no longer active. The mortar shell was found near a school. Spotting the suspicious object, residents immediately informed the police. Subhash Nagar police reached the spot and alerted senior officials. Police officials rushed to the site to assess the situation. Thereafter, the Army's bomb squad was called in. The team safely took control of the mortar shell and successfully defused it. htc...