As many as seven rocket launchers were found near a school on Rajpura Road in Patiala district, Punjab, causing panic in the area. The police swiftly responded to the scene, launching an investigation to determine the origin and nature of these discarded weapons.
Preliminary probe suggest that these rocket launchers were non-functional and did not pose an immediate threat. “These rocket launchers were old and not explosives. Further investigation was being carried out; however, the bomb disposal squads have confirmed that these cannot explode. We are not ruling out anything at the matter, but the initial investigations suggest that these rocket launchers were inoperative and were dumped by some scrap dealer,” said Inspector Gagandeep Singh, Station House Officer at Lahouri Gate police station, reported TOI.
Authorities suspect that an unidentified scrap dealer might have disposed of the decommissioned weapons, though the police have not ruled out other possibilities. To ensure a thorough probe, CCTV footage from the vicinity is being examined, and forensic experts are assessing the rocket launchers to determine their age and potential origins.
Additionally, the Indian Army has been roped in to provide expert insight into the matter.
Locals spotted the suspicious objects and immediately alerted the authorities. Police, along with bomb disposal squads, rushed to the site to secure the area and assess the situation. The recovered rocket launchers have now been transferred to Lahouri Gate police station, where they remain in police custody for further examination.
