IPOH: The discovery of a mortar shell near the Menora Tunnel along the North-South Expressway on Monday (June 30) is still under investigation, says the Perak police chief.
Comm Datuk Noor Hisam Noordin said the probe includes determining whether or not the shell is a World War II relic.
"Everything is still under investigation. At this point, we cannot confirm how it ended up there.
"Based on the report we received, it was indeed an explosive mortar shell,” he told reporters at the handing over of duties ceremony for the state internal security and public safety chief and Gerik OCPD at the police officers' mess hall here on Wednesday (July 2).
ALSO READ: QuickCheck: Was a mortar shell found next to a highway near Ipoh?
He added that the shell was safely disposed of at the scene by the Perak police bomb disposal unit.
“We apologise for having to divert traffic in the area. We were concerned that the disposal could pose a risk to highway users in the area,” he said.
Comm Noor Hisam urged the public to immediately report any suspicious objects they come across to the nearest police station.
"Old ordnance or unexploded bombs could still be in forested or rural areas.
“If you find such objects, do not touch them. Avoid any interaction and inform the nearest police station immediately,” he advised.
Earlier, the unexploded shell was discovered by a 51-year-old contract worker doing cleaning work at around 9.30am on Monday (June 30).
In response to the discovery, PLUS Malaysia Berhad temporarily closed the Kuala Kangsar-Ipoh stretch in both directions at 3.02pm as a safety precaution.
The blast radius from its disposal reportedly extended up to 200m.
