The Hindu : Explosives dug up from Jaisalmer fort

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, May 31, 2003

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National

Explosives dug up from Jaisalmer fort

Jaisalmer, May 30. Labourers digging a part of the world famous Golden Fort here today stumbled across a cache of explosives stocked by the erstwhile rulers.

The explosive material, hidden in packets of 25-30 kg each, was found at Harrajji's Mahal inside the fort. Police and Air Force jawans had already taken out nearly 2,000 of the packets till noon.

According to the Superintendent of Police, P. Ramji, the labourers immediately called the police. Even a spark could have ignited the explosives and brought down the entire yellow sandstone structure. Thousands of such packets were yet to be brought out, he said. The IAF's bomb disposal squad was helping police in the operation.

The stock found today was in an area that housed the erstwhile ruler's mint. Three labourers had been killed in the fort in an explosion during digging work near Akhay Pol nearly five years ago.

Elders in the city claim the fort is sitting on huge stocks of explosives, much of which still remain hidden under the yellow, Jurassic sandstone structure, which dazzles in the sea of sand. Jaisalmer, founded by Rao Jaisal in 1156 AD, attracts hundreds of tourists every year. — UNI

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