Bomb scare on Orissa rail tracks, train services affected

Rourkela: Five small crude bombs along with some crackers were found lying along the tracks near Jharsuguda in Orissa on Saturday, triggering a bomb scare and briefly disrupting rail services on the Mumbai-Howrah route.

The bombs, generally used during celebrations, were found lying along the tracks at Chaukipada, about 160 km from here, Deputy Superintendent of Police (Railway), M Mahanta said.

A bomb detection and disposal squad was immediately called and personnel from the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and government railway police (GRP) rushed to the site soon after the round objects were spotted, he said.

However, an officer of the local police acquainted with bomb detection and disposal operation neutralised them by immersing them in water before the squad reached the spot, Mahanta said.

Trains remained suspended on the busy route for about an hour and normal traffic resumed after the explosives were removed, he said.

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Police suspect that the bombs could have been thrown by petty criminals, who generally use such objects to scare people.