Explosives found near school in Almora; 161 gelatin sticks seized

A large quantity of highly explosive gelatin sticks was recovered near a school in Dabra village, Almora district, Uttarakhand, putting local police on high alert. Authorities found 161 gelatin sticks weighing over 20 kg in the bushes near the Government High Secondary School in the Sult area, prompting a thorough search of the surrounding areas.

The discovery comes days after nearly 3,000 kg of explosives were seized in Haryana in connection with the Delhi blast. Principal Subhash Singh first noticed the suspicious packets and alerted the police. Two police teams immediately cordoned off the area, and bomb disposal and canine squads were brought in from Udham Singh Nagar and Nainital districts.

During the search, the canine unit located additional packets about 20 feet away. The bomb disposal squad collected, sealed, and secured all the explosives safely.

ALSO READ: Terror trail leads to Al Falah University; ex-student linked to 2008 IM attack

“161 gelatin sticks were recovered from the bushes near a school in Dabra village. The bomb disposal squad conducted an inquiry, and nearby areas were searched,” said Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Devendra Pincha.

Gelatin sticks are commonly used for blasting rocks in construction and mining. The motive behind bringing these explosives to the village is under investigation. A case has been registered against unknown individuals under Section 4(a) of the Explosive Substances Act, 1908, and Section 288 of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS). Four police teams have been tasked with further investigation.

Security across the country remains on alert following the Delhi blast and massive seizures of explosives. Officials have warned that some terror modules may have been planning serial attacks in major cities, prompting searches in multiple regions.