Uttarakhand: Explosives found near Almora schools spark major security alert amid Delhi blast aftermath

Explosives were found near schools in Almora, Uttarakhand. Children discovered the cache of gelignite sticks. Authorities launched a search operation and increased security. A case has been registered against unknown individuals. The explosives may be linked to a past road construction project. Forensic teams are investigating the origin and purpose. The seized material will be destroyed after court clearance.

As the nation recovers from the deadly November 10 Delhi blast, a tense atmosphere gripped Uttarakhand's Almora district after a large cache of explosives — that include 161 gelignite sticks weighing more than 20 kilograms — was discovered hidden in bushes close to two schools in Salt area, reported TOI.

The find prompted an extensive search operation and heightened security in the area.

The explosives were accidentally found on Thursday when a group of schoolchildren chased a lost cricket ball into the roadside shrubbery and spotted the suspicious packets. School staff immediately notified authorities, following which a police team from Bhikiyasain retrieved the material on Friday.

According to the report, a case has been registered against unidentified individuals under the Explosive Substances Act and relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Almora Senior Superintendent of Police Devendra Pincha confirmed that forensic samples had been taken. He noted that gelignite is often used for blasting operations during road construction but added that investigators were "not ruling out any possibility" at this stage.

Construction link under probe

Local representatives hinted to the news outlet that the abandoned explosives may be connected to a government road project completed in the area last year under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY). Arjun Singh, village head of Dabhra, said workers had previously camped close to the spot where the material turned up.

“It could have been leftover blasting stock that was never cleared after the project ended,” he said.

On Saturday, bomb disposal experts, dog squads, the Provincial Armed Constabulary, and local police widened the search radius. Forest patches, pathways, school premises, and adjoining terrain were thoroughly scanned for any additional hidden stock.

Forensic teams are now conducting deeper analysis to determine the origin and intended use of the explosives.

"Samples have been collected, and a detailed probe is underway to identify who brought the gelatin rods and for what purpose," Almora SSP Devendra Pincha told TOI. He further noted that though the material found is commonly used in road construction work for for stone-breaking, police are "investigating all angles."

SSP Pincha also informed TOI thatthe seized sticks will be destroyed after a court-issued disposal clearance.

Given the recent recovery of nearly 2,900 kg of explosive material linked to the terror plot near Delhi's Red Fort, authorities treated the Almora discovery with added caution.
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Source: EconomicTimes
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