Executive Summary
- Schoolchildren discovered 161 gelignite sticks near two schools in Almora while playing.
- Police registered a case under the Explosive Substances Act against unknown individuals.
- Local officials suspect the explosives are abandoned leftovers from a road construction project.
- Forensic teams are analyzing the material, which police plan to destroy following court approval.
ALMORA, India – Authorities in the Almora district of Uttarakhand launched a security operation after schoolchildren discovered a significant cache of explosives hidden in shrubbery near two educational institutions.
According to reports, the discovery occurred in the Salt area on Thursday when students chasing a lost cricket ball stumbled upon suspicious packets. Police officials confirmed the recovery of 161 gelignite sticks weighing approximately 20 kilograms. The material was retrieved by a police team from Bhikiyasain on Friday following alerts from school staff.
Law enforcement has registered a case against unidentified individuals under the Explosive Substances Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). While security has been heightened in the wake of a recent blast in New Delhi, local officials indicated the materials might be abandoned industrial supplies rather than an active terror threat.
Arjun Singh, the village head of Dabhra, stated that the explosives were likely leftovers from a government road project completed last year under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana. Singh noted that construction workers had previously camped near the location where the cache was found.
Almora Senior Superintendent of Police Devendra Pincha stated that while gelignite is commonly used in road construction for blasting rocks, investigators are “not ruling out any possibility.” Forensic teams have collected samples to determine the origin of the rods. Police plan to destroy the seized material once a disposal clearance is issued by the court.
Investigative Outlook
The recovery of such a large quantity of high-grade explosives in a civilian area raises serious questions regarding industrial negligence and public safety protocols. While preliminary evidence points to abandoned construction materials, the proximity to schools necessitates a rigorous forensic examination to rule out malicious intent. The investigation will likely focus on tracing the supply chain of the gelignite to identify the contractors responsible for failing to secure dangerous inventory. It is important to note that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.