Patna, Mar 26 (IANS): Panic struck the residents of a village in Bihar's Gaya district on Saturday after a live mortar shell was detected, an official said.

The mortar shell was found in Divnia village. The locals informed the police after it was spotted following which the entire area was cordoned off and the bomb disposal squad was called.

"We have found a live mortar shell in Divnia village. It might have fallen during the practice session of the Indian Army and not exploded. That unexploded mortar shell was picked by someone and left here in Davnia village and realised that it is a bomb," said Angad Paswan, Station House Officer of Dhangai police station.

The police officials suspect that the mortar shell may have fallen in the area during the practice session conducted by army personnel. There is also a theory emerging that the locals might have picked it from some other place and left it here after realising that it is an explosive.

"We have found a live mortar shell in Divnia village. It might have fallen during the practice session of the Indian Army and not exploded. That unexploded mortar shell was picked by someone and left here in Davnia village and realized that it is a bomb," said Angad Paswan, SHO of Dhangai police station.

Earlier on March 8, three persons of one family were killed after a cannon bomb shell fell out of firing range in Gaya district.

Such a mishap has taken place during an army training in Guber Bind village under Barachatti police station in the district.

The villagers claimed that the training of artillery firing was underway in the Guler Bind firing range on March 8 and one of the cannon balls fell in the civilian area leading to mishap.

After that incident, the Indian Army in its official press statement said that there was no practice session in Guber Bid firing range on March 8. There is a possibility that an unexploded bomb was assembled by some person and it blew up.