Police in Uttarakhand's Almora district recovered 161 packets of suspected explosive material from bushes near a government school on Friday. A joint probe by local police, the bomb disposal squad, and dog squad teams was ordered.
Children spot suspicious packets
As per a report by The Indian Express, the incident came to light on Thursday afternoon when the principal of Government Inter College, Dabra, called the local police station following the sighting of unusual cylindrical packets strewn in bushes by students playing near the campus. Police teams reached the spot and secured the area.
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According to officials, the packets resembled gelatin sticks, usually used in road construction for stone blasting. SSP Devendra Pincha said that the material appeared similar to commercial explosives used in infrastructure work. "We are probing how the substance ended up at the spot," he said.
Bomb squad examines site, additional packets found
As per the reports, following instructions from senior officers, the area was sealed off until expert teams arrived. On Friday, bomb disposal and dog squad teams from Udham Singh Nagar and Nainital reached the school for a detailed examination.
Using detection equipment and sniffer dogs, Molly and Rambo, the teams conducted a diligent search. During this operation, they found more similar packets 15–20 feet away from the initial spot. These were collected, sealed and preserved as samples for forensic analysis.
A memo from the bomb disposal squad stated that the recovered gelatin-like sticks remain potentially hazardous until neutralised or safely detonated.
FIR registered; investigation expands
An FIR was lodged following a complaint by Assistant Sub-inspector Diwan Singh Bisht against unknown persons under Section 4 of the Explosive Substances Act, 1908, and BNS Section 288 related to negligent handling of explosives.
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The FIR states that police seized 161 cylindrical plastic packets printed with the words: “901 emulsion explosives 125 gm by SBL Energy Limited.”
Police teams are now tracing the transportation of the material to the vicinity of the school and whether it was intentionally abandoned or misplaced from a construction site. SSP Pincha has appealed to the general public to disregard the rumours as police are still conducting the investigation.
