Twelve live bombs were found today in an iron ore-laden goods train that was transporting the mineral to the facility of steel major Monnet Ispat Ltd.
The workers unloading the mineral in the Monnet plant — about 20 km from the state capital —spotted six green boxes. Smelling something wrong, they informed the senior executives of the company. The officials immediately called the police. Senior police officials, along with bomb and dog squads, rushed to the spot and started the investigation.
“A dozen bombs, two each in six containers. were recovered from the iron ore-laden rake consigned for Monnet Ispat Ltd,” said YKS Thakur, inspector general of police, Raipur Range.
The ore was brought from Orissa and the rakes reached the plant premises this morning, he said, adding that the investigating officials were looking after all aspects, including links with terrorists and Naxalites.
Sources said the preliminary investigation suggested that the bombs weighed 15.730 kg each and the explosives were said to be of medium range projectile rockets with a firing range of 18 km, generally used by the armed forces of different countries in South Asia.
