Alarmed by the recent explosion at Balanga police station in Puri district, the Crime Branch of Odisha police has directed police personnel to follow safety standards while storing seized explosive substances in Malkhana (storeroom).
“For the safety of the Police personnel posted at Police Station and visiting public, it is imperative to take precautions and follow safety standards while keeping seized items such as explosive substances, corrosive and highly inflammable material in the Police Station Malkhana/campus,” stated a letter issued by the Additional Director General of Police, Crime Branch.
The ADG said explosive materials, corrosive substances and highly inflammable materials should not be kept ordinarily in the police station Malkhana (store room). In the extreme cases, if it is necessary to keep those articles in the Malkhana, the same shall be done only after due examination by bomb disposal squad/other specialised agencies with necessary precautions.
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“Awaiting the examination, such seized materials should be kept outside Police Station Malkhana after taking necessary safety measures. In case it is not safe to keep such material at Police Station Malkhana, then the assistance of Bomb Disposal Squad and other specialised agencies be taken for diffusion/destruction of the same with due intimation to the jurisdictional court,” the letter read.
“SPs are instructed to entrust SDPOs/DSPs to visit all the police station Malkhana of the district by October 5, 2021 and take steps for the safety of the Malkhana in the light of this order,” the letter added.
It is worth mentioning here that a powerful explosion on the night of September 27 severely damaged Balanga police station. The blast was triggered by a large cache of explosives seized from a raid and kept inside the Malkhana of the police station.
A woman sub-inspector, who was in-charge of the police station Malkhana, has been placed under suspension following the incident.