Vasai, Jul 7 (Midday News): A local group found 3 huge iron cannon balls dating back to 1860 from an old Virar fort while they were cleaning the premises last week.

Eleven volunteers of the Kille Vasai Mohim were a part of a cleanliness drive at a fort in Virar when they were taken aback by their discovery.

Dr Shridatta Raut, a fort conservationist, told Hindustan Times, "We were cleaning the fort of garbage when we found the cannonballs, each weighing between 2 to 2.5kg. The fort is located at a desolate spot off the Mumbai-Ahmedabad National Highway, and at a great height, and was a favourite hideout for freedom fighters who were fighting against the British Raj. The Takamgadh fort had a few water tanks, each having a capacity of 10,000 litres, which was used to store water for freedom fighters who were hiding there. The Britishers then used cannons to destroy the water tanks so as to deprive the of drinking water,and some of the cannonballs were found intact, as they did not blast."

The destruction of water tanks by the Britishers is even mentioned in the Gazette.