Leftover ammo from Iran-Iraq war destroyed in controlled explosion

While the exercise was started in March at a forest area under Pathirivedu police station, the destruction of explosives was stopped midway after villagers in surrounding areas raised objections after they felt tremors. 

The explosives were transported back to Sipcot and permission was obtained from all the departments concerned to destroy them at the stone quarry at SKV Kandigai in RK Pet police station jurisdiction. 

A week ago, the quarry was brought under police control and all the safety precautions were taken. After the villagers in the nearby areas were alerted against entering the quarry, the explosives were brought to the spot on Monday night and destroyed on Tuesday and Wednesday in the presence of experts from the Indian Army. 

The ammunition, allegedly used in the Iran-Iraq war, came mixed with iron scrap imported from Saudi Arabia. It came to light after some of the explosives blasted in a well where the plants dumped them in 2008. 

Sipcot police registered two cases about the incident and seized 1,628 explosive materials including rocket launchers weighing about seven tonnes.