Bengaluru Six police officers, including a sub-inspector, have been suspended after explosive materials and raw electronic components were found along a highway designated for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s convoy earlier this month, officials said, describing it as a security failure.
The security breach occurred on May 10 near Vaderahalli Gate in South Bengaluru district, just hours before Modi was scheduled to travel to an official event at the Art of Living Foundation’s ashram.
The incident came to light at around 9am when a policeman on high security patrol spotted a suspicious cardboard box near Kopareddy Lake, next to the road near Bhairava Mandya Uposaru Mod Hotel. Local law enforcement and security agencies immediately deployed a bomb detection and disposal team to the scene.
Technicians examining the container discovered gelatin sticks wrapped in duct tape, along with batteries, wires and a makeshift circuit-like assembly. While initial assessments indicated the material may have been disposed of from a nearby quarry, the presence of the electronic circuits led to the matter being escalated into a broader multi-agency investigation.
Senior investigators noted that the mixture of explosive materials and circuits resembled components sometimes used in improvised explosive devices, although officials stressed that the setup found at the scene was incomplete and incapable of causing an immediate explosion.
“Gelatin sticks alone could indicate illegal transport or use of quarries,” said a senior police officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation was still ongoing. “But when you find circuits, wires and batteries with explosive materials, investigators are obligated to examine whether there was an attempt to manufacture some kind of explosive device mechanism.”
Specialists conducted an extensive security sweep of the entire corridor leading to the ashram before ensuring that the route was safe for the Prime Minister’s convoy.
The disciplinary measures came after a preliminary internal investigation into the security failure. On Saturday, Srinivas Gowda, Superintendent of Police, South Bengaluru, formally suspended a sub-inspector, a sub-inspector and four policemen assigned to the road.
“The personnel assigned to the Prime Minister’s security route failed to maintain the level of vigilance and vigilance expected during such a high security movement,” Gowda said on Sunday. He added: “Based on the preliminary findings, disciplinary measures were taken against six employees on charges of negligence of duty.”
Local authorities are working to determine how to leave the components in a heavily monitored area despite extensive security protocols put in place during the leader’s visit. Investigators are examining whether the materials were intended to cause a greater security scare, although they confirmed that the device lacked the parts needed to detonate.
Another senior officer said: “The device that was found was not in a state suitable for immediate explosion or explosion.” “No operating mechanism based on a timer or detonator has been found to date.”
Forensic and technical analyzes are currently being conducted on the seized items, and investigators are reviewing security camera footage from the surrounding area while questioning local residents. The investigation is still ongoing.
