Gelatin Sticks Discovered Near Uttarakhand School: Contractor Arrested

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In a shocking incident, a contractor has been arrested in Almora, Uttarakhand, after 161 gelatin sticks, an explosive material, were recovered from bushes near a school. The gelatin sticks were ordered seven years ago for a road construction project but were discarded by the contractor's landlord, who had rented out the room where they were stored. According to Senior Superintendent of Police Devendra Pincha, contractor Prashant Bisht had hired the gelatin sticks in 2016-17 for breaking rocks during the construction of a three-kilometer road in the Salt area. However, when Bisht vacated the room two months ago, his landlord threw the gelatin sticks into the nearby bushes. The discovery was made on November 21 when the acting principal of Government Higher Secondary School, Dabhra, spotted suspicious packages in the bushes. Police were immediately alerted, and a thorough investigation was launched. A total of four teams were formed to investigate the matter, and a case was registered under the Explosive Substances Act, 1908, and Section 288 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. During the investigation, it was found that Bisht had stored the gelatin sticks in a room near the school, which was later vacated, leading to the disposal of the sticks in the bushes. Bisht was arrested on Tuesday and sent to jail. The police are now searching for the person who brought the gelatin sticks to the school premises. The recovery of the gelatin sticks has raised concerns about the safety of the school and its surroundings, and efforts are being made to ensure that such incidents do not recur in the future.