Meerut blast: Probe on

directives to the Meerut police to find out the source from where the ragpickers had got the Army mortar shells that caused the blast in Meerut on Saturday.

On behalf of the headquarters, Inspector General IG, Law 038; Order of Uttar Pradesh, BP Singh, said, 8220;The SSP Meerut has been asked to find out if the Army had auctioned the shells or whether the ragpickers had picked them up from the firing-range in the Cantonment.8221;

8220;If the investigation reveals the shells were amongst those that were auctioned, legal action would be initiated against the concerned contractor. Three of the injured victims, who are battling for life, too, are not in a state to speak about the incident,8221; the IG said.

The ragpickers were hitting the shells with a blunt object without knowing that they were live, when one exploded, killing five and injuring three of them, Singh said.

Deputy Inspector General DIG UP Anti-Terror Squad, Rajiv Krishna, said, 8220;The Meerut wing of the squad has gone to the spot to get a first-hand account of the incident. Primary investigation reveals that the shells were a part of the scrap ordnance of the army.8221;

The DIG said that usually a few of the shells fired at the firing range in the Cantonment go missing and the ragpickers take them away.

8220;They take out the brass covers of the shells and sell them to the scrap dealers. Five such shells were recovered from the spot,8221; said Krishna.