Shells in scrap: Admn on alert

The SSP said the scrap had detonators too and added the administration was planning to take the help of the Army in finding the nature of the explosives.

The administration has ordered a door-to-door search of iron and steel units in the district, district magistrate Ashish Goel said. 8220;There is a very strong chance that scrap in these industries could have similar explosives,8221; Goel said. Officials of the revenue, police and industries departments would begin the search this evening. An alert has been sounded in western UP which has several iron units. A report has been sent to the state home department.

Most iron and steel units here are located on Meerut road and Samli area on Kairana road. Efforts are on to find the details of the last few consignments that arrived in the city. 8220;The city has about 42 iron and steel units and we will find what all have they imported in the last few days,8221; district industries officer Vinod Kumar said.

The administration fears this could be a sequel to the events between September 2004 and January 2005 when hundreds of missile shells were recovered from various parts of the country including the state.

In September last year, 10 people were killed at the Bhushan Steel unit in Ghaziabad when explosives in scrap went off.