According to the rules, any explosive that is brought to court as evidence must first be defused.
patna:
In a freak accident at the Patna Civil Court today, a bomb went off in the crowded premises, injuring officers who had brought explosives to present as evidence in a case.
The incident took place on Friday when the explosive was brought to court by Sub-Inspector Umakant Rai as evidence in a case related to a search of a student residence in Patna, where a large amount of gunpowder had been seized. The police officer carried the bombs in a box that he placed on the deputy prosecutor’s table. The blast is believed to be of low intensity.
After the explosion, the police officer said another box was kept in the room, causing panic in the courtroom. Events turned dramatic when the Patna Police Bomb Disposal Unit said they would not be able to disperse the bomb. A team from the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) would be needed to safely disperse the bomb, they said. The second live bomb remained in the courtroom for nearly two hours.
According to the rules, any explosive that is brought to court as evidence must first be defused.
A senior officer said the explosive seized at the hostel in Patna was gunpowder that could not be thrown away, and that the explosion happened due to heat caused by friction. He added that following legal proceedings, the bomb had to be taken to a lab for further investigation.
The sub-inspector who brought the bomb to court has injured his arm but is out of danger, said Sabiul Haq, Station House Officer, or SHO, of Pirbahore Police Station, which has jurisdiction over the court.
Police say they are investigating whether the bombs were properly defused before being brought to court.
