Over 160 gelatin sticks were discovered hidden in bushes near a school in Almora district Uttarakhandthe press agency reported PTI with reference to the local police.
Almora Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Devendra Pincha, said initial investigations ruled out any potential terrorist involvement. The explosives appear to have been left by a contractor involved in road construction in the area.
The incident came to light on November 21 after Subhash Singh, acting headmaster of Dabhra Government High School, located in Salt area, spotted several suspicious packages in the bushes near the school premises and immediately alerted the police.
After receiving the notification, the police immediately reached the spot and secured the entire area. Subsequently, bomb disposal squads and dog squads from Udham Singh Nagar and Nainital districts were also called in to conduct a thorough search of the site.
Police reports indicate that several packages gelatin sticks were initially picked up from one location near the school, followed by many more packages found approximately 15 to 20 feet away. A total of 161 cylindrical gelatin rods were recovered from both sites.
The bomb disposal team took all the packages to a safe location where they were sealed, according to a police statement. The entire operation was documented on video and forensic evidence was collected.
A case was filed against unidentified persons under Section 4(a) of the Explosives Act, 1908 and Section 288 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Act.
Pincha explained that gelatin sticks are commonly used by contractors to break stone and rock formations in road construction.
Pincha said: “The road was built at this location a few years ago and the contractor may have left the gelatin sticks in the bushes.”
He also said police were conducting thorough inquiries with local contractors and construction workers. However, he emphasized that a final conclusion will be reached only after a full and detailed investigation.
Odisha: Large arms cache, explosives found in Malkangiri cave
In a separate incident, security forces recovered a large cache of explosives and weapons suspected to have been hidden by Maoists from a cave in Odisha’s Malkangiri district on November 16. PTI referring to the Malkangiri police.
The seizure was made by BSF from a hill in Dulagundi forest in Kalimela police station area, they said.
Arms and explosives were discovered during combing, they added.
Among the items found were an improvised directional mine, a pistol, 110 gelatin sticks, electronic equipment, 150 7.62mm live rounds, 170 empty cartridges, 10 blank rounds, two 125-decibel electronic tubes and a sensor.
