E-Paper
Rocket shell in park triggers panic in Ludhiana
Cops cordoned off the park area and also covered the shell with sand bags; joint commissioner of Ludhiana police says no need to panic as all security steps were taken
Panic gripped residents of Sarabha Nagar, one of the posh localities of the city, after locals noticed a rocket shell in a park on Thursday evening.
The police cordoned off the area and also covered the shell with sand bags.
A bomb disposal team was also called to defuse the shell.
According to the locals out on evening walk, a rocket-like structure was lying near the compound wall of the park. On observing closely, they found it to be a live rocket shell, following which the police were alerted.
Joint commissioner of police J Elanchezhian said immediately after receiving the information, a team reached the spot and vacated the park.
He added that the police have taken all security measures and there was no need to be panicked. However, people have been warned against going near the spot.
Elanchezhian said that a technical team was called for defusing it.
The police are also in contact with the army, it has been learnt.
The police suspect that the shell could have come in the scrap from bay countries.
As per them, the importer might have dumped it in the canal and some group of boys searching for coins on Thursday during the Chhath Pooja could have found the shell and left it in the park.
However, the police are scanning the footage of CCTV cameras installed in the area to get clues on how it reached the park.
Previous similar incidents
On October 24, some workers had found 200 buried cartridges in a government school while digging the land for making a recharge pit in Pawa village.
The Sahnewal police had registered an FIR and initiated investigation.
On February 9, 2020, rocket shells, hand grenades, three rocket launchpads and other ammunition were found from a plot in Gill village in Ludhiana while digging. Later, the police had defused the explosives.
