Imphal, Sep 18 (IANS): Security forces on Saturday destroyed a World War II vintage bomb, found during digging, in eastern Manipur, defence officials said.

Defence spokesman Lt Col A S Walia said that the bomb was recovered by locals during digging work in Kamjong district, bordering Myanmar.

On receipt of the information, security forces, with the assistance of local police, safely shifted the bomb away from populated area for disposal, and a team of the army bomb disposal unit carried out the safe disposal of 250 lbs bomb using the 'Violent Technique'.

This mechanism involved careful and technical placement of pre-calculated explosives and initiating controlled detonation to destroy the bomb.

Before disposing off the powerful bomb, a joint team of Manipur Police and paramilitary forces ensured safe evacuation of 250 residents and their various livestocks and domestic animals residing within 2 km radius from the explosion site.

The destruction of bomb was successfully done without any untoward incident due to explosion, the defence PRO said.

Northeastern India was the site of several fierce battles in World War II as Japanese forces reached Manipur and Nagaland when they invaded British India.