Six policemen have been suspended in connection with the recovery of gelatin sticks near Bengaluru ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit earlier this month, officials said on Sunday.
The action comes nearly two weeks after two gelatin sticks were found close to the Kaggalipura-Tataguni stretch near the Art of Living Ashram on May 10, triggering security concerns during the Prime Minister’s scheduled programme in the city. The suspended personnel will remain out of duty till the departmental inquiry is completed.
According to police officials, the explosives were discovered during security checks conducted before the Prime Minister’s arrival. The incident had immediately raised questions over security arrangements around the high-profile visit, prompting a joint investigation by Bengaluru City Police and Ramanagara Police.
Officials said the suspension order was issued by the Superintendent of Police, Bengaluru South (Ramnagar), pending the outcome of the inquiry.
Police sources said a constable on deployment first noticed a suspicious packet lying near a compound wall, around 20 to 25 feet away from the roadside. The spot was reportedly located roughly one kilometre from the NICE Road junction.
Upon inspection, the packet was found to contain two gelatin sticks. Security personnel quickly secured the area and removed the explosives as a precautionary measure.
How gelatin sticks were found before PM Modi’s Bengaluru event
Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police, Central Range, Bengaluru, said the gelatin sticks were not recovered from the exact route used by the Prime Minister.
“Before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s arrival, during the checking, two gelatine sticks were found on the side of the footpath, nearly 3 kms away from the main venue where PM Modi was scheduled to arrive. Further investigation is underway,” the DIG said.
He also stated that the Anti-Sabotage Team and local police personnel had acted swiftly after spotting the suspicious packet.
“The police have done a good job. The Anti-Sabotage Team and a local police constable found the gelatin sticks. They were not found on the exact road used by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. They were found away from the road, beyond the footpath,” DIG Girish said.
He added that investigators were now trying to determine how the explosives reached the area and who had placed them there.
BJP attacks Karnataka government over security lapse allegations
The recovery had triggered a political row in Karnataka, with the Bharatiya Janata Party accusing the Congress-led state government of failing to ensure proper security during the Prime Minister’s visit.
Karnataka BJP president and MLA BY Vijayendra had termed the incident an “unpardonable and grave failure” on the part of the state government.
“Law and order and security have completely collapsed in the state under the Congress government, and that too in the capital Bengaluru,” Vijayendra had said in a post on X.
He further said that any lapse linked to the Prime Minister’s security should be treated with utmost seriousness and demanded strict action against those found negligent.
Police said further investigation into the matter is underway.