A security scare gripped Uttarakhand's Almora district after 161 gelignite sticks, over 20 kg of explosive material were recovered from dense bushes close to two schools in the Salt region. The discovered comes days after authorities seized nearly 2,900 kg of explosive material, allegedly tied to the terror conspiracy behind the blast near Delhi's Red Fort, intensifying concerns across security agencies.

The explosive cache was discovered by unsuspecting schoolchildren on Thursday as they ventured into the bushes searching for a lost cricket ball only to find deadly gelignite sticks.

BIG BREAKING | MASSIVE SECURITY SCARE IN UTTARAKHANDA total of 161 packets of suspected explosive material labelled“901 Emulsion Explosives, 125 gm” were found near a government school in Almora, after children playing outside spotted the packets in nearby bushes... twitter/ZRYaMtLSEy

- Indian Law and Justice (@legalworld0) November 22, 2025

Once alerted, the school management promptly informed the police, triggering a swift response from the Bhikiyasain team on Friday. An FIR was registered against unidentified individuals under Section 4(A) of the Explosive Substances Act, 1908, and BNS Section 288 for negligent handling of explosive material.

“Samples have been collected, and a detailed probe is underway to identify who brought the gelatin rods and for what purpose,” Almora SSP Devendra Pincha told TOI. He added that while the material is routinely used in road construction for rock-breaking, investigators are“probing every possible angle.”

The proximity of a former PMGSY workers' camp raised suspicions that the explosives were remnants of a completed road project.“The workers' camp was just 30m from where the explosives were found. It is possible the material was brought for breaking hard rock and later abandoned after becoming unusable,” Arjun Singh, village head of Dabhra said.

By Saturday morning, PAC personnel, additional police units, bomb experts, LIU teams and IRB squads launched an exhaustive combing drive across the forested terrain, school grounds and adjoining pathways to eliminate any remaining threat.

Forensic specialists began a second phase of rigorous testing to determine the source, nature, and age of the gelatin sticks. Investigators mapped the site, lifting soil samples and crucial trace evidence.

SSP Pincha confirmed that the seized explosives will be destroyed safely after receiving mandatory court clearance.

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