New Delhi: Traces of RDX have been found in soil samples collected from the site of a mysterious explosion that took place close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally venue in Jammu earlier on April 24.
The preliminary forensic analysis, top officials in the Jammu and Kashmir Police told News18, has established the presence of traces of RDX and nitrate compound in soil samples collected from the blast site in Lalian village in Bishnan belt.
“Some traces of RDX have been found. It appears the payload was dropped by a drone,” a top police official told News18.
The explosion was earlier speculated by the local police to have been caused by a meteorite or lightning strike.
“It doesn't seem to be terror-related. Details are being ascertained. We suspect it to be a meteorite.... might be lightning,” India Today quoted a senior police officer as saying.
The explosion occurred at a field in Jammu’s Laliana village, around 12 km away from Prime Minister Modi’s rally venue.
A detailed report in this regard is awaited by the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL).
Prime Minister Modi, who visited Jammu and Kashmir earlier on April 24, addressed Gram Sabhas across the country on the occasion of the National Panchayati Raj Day in Palli Panchayat in Samba district.
He also inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of development projects, including the Banihal-Qazigund road tunnel, the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway and the Ratle and Kwar hydroelectric projects, worth over Rs 20,000 crore in Jammu and Kashmir during his visit.