Live grenade found near school, disposed of safely

A live hand grenade, marked model H-E-36, was discovered under mysterious circumstances, near a private public school, in an isolated location along the seasonal Kutkana rivulet in Kher village, within the jurisdiction of Rehan police station in Nurpur police district, on Sunday. A local resident, who was grazing cattle in the area, first noticed the object and immediately alerted the Rehan police station. A police team was rushed to the scene and identified it as an Unidentified Explosive Object (UXO).

Upon receiving the information, both the local administration and police officials in the district were put on high alert. Fatehpur SDM Vishut Bharti promptly informed the district administration about the UXO, which in turn contacted the army authorities. The presence of the live grenade, with its significant potential for destruction and found under such mysterious circumstances, triggered a red alert at the District Emergency Operation Centre in Kangra, which also filed a Situation Report.

Following coordination between the district administration and the Bomb Disposal (BD) team of the 202-Engineer Regiment, Mamoon Cantonment (Pathankot), a BD team was rushed to the scene. The team cordoned off the area and successfully disposed of (exploded) the grenade.

Nurpur SP told The Tribune that a case had been registered under Section 3 of the Explosive Substance Act and Section 125 of the BNS at Rehan police station. He said the grenade was live, with its pin intact, and posed a significant risk of causing a major explosion if detonated accidentally. He also noted that the circumstances surrounding the grenade's presence in the area are under investigation, with police inquiries ongoing.