Temple blast near Chennai: Rocket launcher part caused explosion
CHENNAI: The metal object that exploded near a temple in Kancheepuram district on Sunday has been identified as the artillery fuse igniter of a rocket launcher. The blast killed two and injured three persons. Another unexploded 84mm Anti-Tank shell was found at the temple premises on Monday morning. A bomb squad comprising ex-servicemen concealed the shell in the sand. They conducted checks in the area till late Monday evening.
A senior officer said the object that exploded was a Carl Gustaf Rocket Launcher (CGRL) 51mm artillery fuse igniter. The model, used in the Army, can deter an approaching tank. Police are probing how the devices ended up in the village.
The Hanumanthapuram firing range, used to train army cadets in firing heavy weapons, is less than 10 km away. The house adjacent to the temple was rented out to a scrap dealer, who used the space behind the house to store scrap.
Bomb squad will check whole area, says officer
The common space between the temple and the house was being used by the dealer to store his scrap. Police suspect the igniter and the shell could have been buried there. "The bomb squad will check the whole area using a bomb detector and sniffer dog. Since shells can explode when external pressure is applied, we cannot use metal rods to dig up the ground to look for more," said an officer.
"Going by the markings, the igniter and shell were manufactured in September 2007. It's possible that someone collected them from an open space and sold it to the scrap dealer. Both the items are used in Anti-Tank rocket launchers employed by the army," said ASP V Badri Narayanan.
"The impact was limited because the victims meddled only with the artillery fuse igniter. If they had tried the same with the shell, it would have blown off the temple and the house. The fuse igniter can be manually activated by striking it twice. When used in the launcher, its first activation is by the trigger. The second is when it hits the target. This is when it explodes," he added.
On Sunday, the victims gathered behind the temple to celebrate the birthday of Dileep Raghav (25). The temple does not have a compound wall, and behind it is an open area that once was a pond. The shrapnel that shot out during the explosion have pierced into the temple wall. According to the villagers, in the past three years, bombshells have been found here at least six times.
Unexploded shell also found at spot
On Monday morning, another unexploded anti-tanker shell was found at the premises. “The bomb squad will check the whole area using a bomb detector and sniffer dog. Since shells can explode when external pressure is applied, we cannot use metal rods to dig up the ground,” an officer told Express
‘Under probe’
Asked if the shell and igniter were from the Hanuman-thapuram firing range, IG P Nagarajan said the police were not sure and are still investigating