The City Police investigating the discovery of explosives resembling pipe bombs from the Sreepadam pond, near the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, on Sunday, based on prima facie evidence, have indicated that the explosives could have been remnants of the arsenals of the erstwhile Travancore kingdom.
However, this could be confirmed only after reports on the analysis of the detonated explosives were available from the Forensic Science Laboratory, K. Sanjaykumar Gurudin, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order), said.
Factory-made
Stating that information available so far revealed no signs of attempts of sabotage or the explosives being intentionally kept there, Mr. Gurudin said the explosives found on Sunday did not match with any typical improvised electronic device (IED) or country-made bombs. They prima facie resembled factory-made ammunition and were capable of only low intensity explosions. A label, Firex, on the explosives indicated as much, he said.
He said this, however, could be confirmed only after the FSL reports were available.
Indications
“What we can say now is that they resemble some form of ammunition used in yesteryears. We interacted with a few people who know about the temple and the history of the area and they have indicated that these could have been from among those used by the king. Further investigation will confirm this, and we are also planning to scan the pond to see if there are any more of the same kind,” he said.
There was nothing to worry or panic about, the DCP added.
No need to up security
Meanwhile, J. Sukumara Pillai, Deputy Commissioner in charge of the temple’s security, said there was no need to enhance the security arrangements in view of the discovery. The security was already among the best available anywhere in the country and the explosives submerged in the pond could not be termed as a security lapse.
The Sreepadam Palace, to which the pond was attached and which was being converted into District Heritage Museum, was under the Archaeological Survey of India’s control, already had patrolling around it, he said. However, there were some offices and buildings in private hands near the temple, occupied by certain political and social organisations, which needed to be brought under the control of the police for security aspects, he said.
Report from forensic lab awaited for confirmation
Pond to be scanned to check presence of more explosives
