As many as seven rocket shells were found from a garbage dump in the Patiala district of Punjab today(February 10), said a senior police officer. However, the police said that preliminary investigations indicated the rocket launchers were non-functional and could not be classified as explosives.
Punjab Police’s Deputy Inspector General (Patiala range) Mandeep Singh Sidhu said that there was no explosive in the shells. He said the shells were found from a bag at the garbage dump on Patiala Road.
‘Shells were dumped by a scrap dealer’
Sharing further details, Patiala’s Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Nanak Singh said, “We got information from a passerby that six to seven rocket shells were found.” A police team was rushed to the spot, the SSP told reporters.
“During a preliminary check, no explosive material was found in the shells,” he added. The SSP said that it seems that the shells were dumped by a scrap dealer.
Police, however, will carry out a probe taking all possibilities into account, he said, adding, “We are not ruling anything out at this point in time.”
The SSP said that the Army authorities would be involved in the investigation. Military experts would assess the age of the shells and determine how they arrived at the location.
The officer added that the police would review CCTV footage from nearby areas and utilize human intelligence for further investigation. Responding to a query, the SSP said, “We reached the spot immediately upon receiving information about the shells.”
“We will soon trace the person who dumped the shells,” he said.
(With PTI inputs)
Also Read: Delhi HC grants two-day custody parole to jailed MP Engineer Rashid to attend Parliament
Also Read: J-K: Search operation underway in Poonch, suspicious movement suspected in valley
