Bomb found near CM's public meeting venue neutralised

Gangtok, Sep 24 (UNI) Three hours before Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Chamling was scheduled to address a public meeting, a highly dangerous IED (Improvised Explosive Device) was recovered today near the Kyongsa ground, the venue for the meeting.

The Sikkim police finally neutralised the bomb by carrying out controlled explosions with the aid of the Army at around 1745 hrs.

Earlier, policemen stumbled upon the bomb, hidden into a pressure cooker, during a routine combing exercise in the area at around 0800 hours before the arrival of the Chief Minister.

The cooker had its lid partially opened and contained wires and a clock inside it, Sikkim DIG, Police, Akshay Sachdeva told UNI adding it was lying approximately 150 feet away from the Kyongsa ground at Geyzing in West Sikkim.

The spot was cordoned off by the police.The school near the ground was closed down for today.

'' During the discovery it could not be confirmed whether it was an IED and the police had to wait for a special explosive team from Gangtok investigate into the matter,''the DIG said.

Mr Sachdeva informed that a high level probe into the matter would begin from tomorrow.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister's public meeting went ahead as scheduled and he left the venue by the time the bomb was neutralised.

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