Garhwal Post Bureau
ALMORA, 22 Nov: Security agencies have been put on alarm mode after 161 gelatine sticks were recovered from bushes near a primary school in Dabra village of Almora district. Although gelatine sticks are commonly used in road construction and for breaking rocks in the hilly terrain, their discovery in such a secluded location near a school has raised serious questions. The police immediately summoned the Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) to the site, cordoned off the area, and began a detailed search. An FIR has been registered, and four separate investigation teams have been constituted to probe the matter.
The incident created panic among villagers when the large quantity of explosive material was found close to the school premises. The local residents informed the police, who rushed to the spot and recovered the sticks. The recovery of such a high volume of explosives near a school has caused widespread concern and fear in the locality.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Devendra Pincha stated that the police received information about suspicious material lying in the bushes near the school, following which the local team reached the site and secured the area. The BDS team carried out a meticulous inspection and confirmed the recovered material as gelatine sticks. Pincha added that while these sticks are generally used for construction purposes, their presence in such large numbers near a school is highly suspicious. He remarked, “It is a matter of investigation how these gelatin sticks reached there and for what purpose they were kept. All possible angles are being investigated.”
The police have registered a case under relevant sections and initiated a multi-pronged inquiry. Four investigation teams are examining the source, possible connections, and intended usage of the explosives. Preliminary assessment suggests that the sticks may have been dumped due to theft or negligence from a road construction project, but authorities are not ruling out any possibility.
Security has been tightened around the school, and villagers have been urged to remain vigilant. Police are also scrutinising CCTV footage from nearby areas to determine whether the material had been concealed deliberately. The local residents have expressed grave concern over the safety of children following the discovery, and the police along with the BDS team are continuing a thorough investigation into the case. The search operation also involves the BDS team and dog squads from Udham Singh Nagar and Nainital districts. A thorough search was conducted with the help of dogs Molly and Rambo. Some packets were recovered from the first location and more packets were recovered from a second location approximately 15-20 feet away.
