9 bombs found on rail track in Haryana; trains delayed
KURUKSHETRA: Nine bombs were found on and around the Ambala-Delhi rail track near Shahbad Markanda station, 25 km from Kurukshetra, on Wednesday, disrupting rail traffic in the region.
Kurukshetra district police chief Simardeep Singh told Hindustan Times that seven 51-mm mortar shells were found on the track around 9.30am and traffic on the route was halted as a precautionary measure.
The eighth bomb was found near an olive green metal ammunition box recovered from the track in Shahbad Markanda’s Ranjit Singh Nagar locality in the afternoon. The ninth one was recovered near the railway track.
Police sources said an ammunition box contains 10 mortar shells, adding that one of these was missing till the filing of this report. Of the seven mortar shells found in the morning, six were packed in small, black cases with details of the explosives.
“It is possible that during defence forces’ movement in the northern region, the box fell off a train,” said a police source engaged in the search operation.
The gover nment railway police (GRP) registered a case under the Explosives Act against unidentified persons. ‘ SHELLS USED BY PARAMILITARY TOO’
A source in the ar my’s Chandimandir-based Western Command said, “It is not confirmed yet who this ammunition belonged to. These mortar shells are also being used by paramilitary forces. Police are investigating the case. They will check the lot number from the ordnance factory and find out to whom it was issued. If it belongs to the army, we will check who has the deficient stock. Only then can the responsibility be fixed.”
Superintendent of police Simardeep Singh said the services of a bomb disposal squad were requisitioned from Ambala in the morning. The experts took the seven bombs away from the track by noon before army experts examined the explosives.
Police sources said they had no intimation or complaint from the army about the bombs going missing.
The nearby city of Ambala has an army cantonment and also an Indian Air Force base. The SP said the army authorities had been called in from Ambala to verify the explosives.