RANCHI: Two policemen were killed and three others injured when a bomb they were defusing exploded inside a police station at Sariya police station in
Giridih district on Monday, police said. The deceased have been identified as Mohamad Ashraf Qureshi, assistant sub-inspector of the Hazaribag police's bomb disposal unit, and Mahendra Turi, a guard stationed at the police station.
Additional director general of police (operations) R K Mallick said: "The incident took place when the explosives seized in various operations, including our drive against illegal mining, were being defused by a bomb disposal squad. The district police has initiated a probe to ascertain how exactly the bomb went off"
Giridih superintendent of police (SP) Akhilesh B Variar said: "A bomb disposal and detection squad from Hazaribag reached the Sariya police station at 12.15pm. All the necessary formalities and paperwork was completed and the squad was following their set procedure in destroying the explosives. The explosion took place at 12.45pm killing the two policemen. The BDDS is now probing into what could have caused the explosion despite all the precautions being taken."
The explosion shook the vicinity and a huge crowd gathered at the police station located near a bustling market. The police station building too sustained cracks and damages in the incident, said a police officer.
Sariya police station officer in-charge Sonu Kumar, who narrowly escaped the blast, said: "The explosives were stored in our arms and ammunitions depot for the last couple of years. Following orders issued by our superior officers, the explosives were scheduled to be destroyed on Monday."