A huge quantity of gelatin explosives was found right near a school in Almora district of Uttarakhand, making the whole area tense and putting police on high alert. The sticks were hidden inside bushes close to the Government High Secondary School in Dabara village. The school principal spotted the strange packets first and informed the police. Officers reached fast, sealed the place and brought bomb squads for checking. The discovery came only days after thousands of kilos of explosives were found in Haryana linked to the Delhi blast case, making this new find even more worrying.

How the Suspicious Packets Were First Spotted by the School Principal

The whole thing started when Principal Subhash Singh noticed something lying inside the bushes near the school. The packets did not look normal. The place is usually calm, so anything out of place catches the eye quickly. He felt something wasn’t right and decided to call the police without wasting time. His quick thinking probably prevented a dangerous situation from growing larger. When the police arrived, they saw that the packets had weight and shape that raised an instant red flag. More officers were called before anyone touched anything.

The Police Response That Followed Within Minutes

Two teams reached the school almost immediately and kept the area closed to everyone. Parents and villagers were told to stay back, and the students stayed away from that side of the building. The officers waited for the bomb disposal squad because no one wanted to take even a small risk. The squad came from Udham Singh Nagar district along with special dog units from Nainital. The dogs were trained to pick up tiny traces of explosive smell. As they moved around, one dog stopped and signalled. Another followed the same direction. Soon, several packets were found hidden deep inside the bushes.

What the Bomb Squad Found During the Detailed Search

When the search widened a bit more, more packets showed up around twenty feet away from the first point. After opening them safely, the teams confirmed it was gelatin stick explosives. The count reached 161 sticks in total, weighing over 20 kilograms. Gelatin sticks are highly explosive. They are normally used for breaking rocks during road construction or mining. But no official construction work was happening there, which makes this discovery even stranger. The bomb squad collected every packet, sealed them carefully and shifted them to a secure storage point.

Police Officials Explain the Seriousness of the Discovery

Senior Superintendent of Police Devendra Pincha said that the recovery was major and needed a full investigation. He confirmed the count of 161 sticks and explained that nearby areas were scanned again to make sure nothing else was hidden. The police opened a case under the Explosive Substances Act and Section 288 of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, which deals with careless or illegal handling of dangerous materials. The officers treated the whole matter as a high-priority threat because explosives left in such a place can mean many things. Some situations turn out to be illegal storage meant for mining work, but other times it can be connected to harmful plans.

Why Gelatin Sticks Are Dangerous in Wrong Hands

Gelatin sticks are powerful even in small amounts. Workers who use them for construction handle them under controlled rules. When these same explosives appear near a school, the meaning changes instantly. Even one stick mishandled can cause serious damage. Having so many sticks, over 20 kilograms of explosive material, left inside bushes makes the situation feel intentional or at least suspicious. Police teams understand this basic risk, which is why they moved fast and kept the public away till everything was safe.

The Security Context After the Delhi Blast Investigation

The find in Uttarakhand did not happen in an empty moment. Just days back, police recovered nearly 3000 kilograms of explosives in Haryana that had links to the Delhi blast case. Security across the country was already on alert. Many agencies shared concerns that some terror modules were working secretly to plan serial blasts in different major cities. Because of this background, every new discovery of explosives anywhere becomes important. When the Almora recovery happened, it immediately connected with the wider concerns the country has been facing.

Why the Location Near a School Makes This Case Even More Sensitive

A school area is one of the last places anyone expects to find explosives. Students walk through the grounds daily. Villagers also pass by the same routes. Such a location increases the seriousness because it could cause more harm if anything went wrong. Police kept this point in mind while deciding to form more investigation teams. They want to know if the packets were hidden by someone who panicked, or someone who wanted to collect them later, or someone trying to use the area because it looked quiet and less suspicious.

Four Police Teams Formed to Trace the People Behind the Sticks

SSP Pincha created four teams under different officers to handle parts of the investigation. Some will look at movement in the village from the last few days. Some will check if any construction supplier in the region reported missing materials. Others will check if any unknown people were seen near the school area. Sometimes a small clue like tyre marks or dropped wrapper can show a new direction. The police want to move fast because explosives of this level rarely get left behind by mistake.

Villagers React With Fear and Relief Together

People in Dabara village said they felt shocked because the place stays peaceful most days. Many said they walk through that patch of land all the time without thinking. The thought that explosives were lying so close made them uneasy. But at the same time they felt relieved that the principal saw the packets in time and called police before anything bad happened. Parents were especially thankful because the students come near these bushes often.

The Broader Question: Why Were the Explosives Brought to the Village?

This is the question everyone wants answers to. Gelatin sticks are not common household items. They are not easy to buy either. So whoever brought them had either a purpose or access to illegal supply. This is why the police investigation matters so much. They are looking at both local and outside links. Terror modules have moved explosives across states before, so nothing can be ruled out early. At the same time, illegal miners sometimes hide stocks to avoid paperwork. The police have to consider every angle.

India’s Security Setup Already Under Pressure From Recent Threats

The recent intelligence reports say that some networks were planning attacks in major Indian cities. That is why checking suspicious materials has become very strict. From big cities to small villages, police stations are asked to be alert. When a case like this shows up in Uttarakhand, a state usually known for quiet hills and temples, it stretches the concern further. This is the reason central agencies may also step in later if the state police finds any link beyond the district.

A Day That Left the Region Uneasy But Safe Because of Quick Action

In the end, the Almora case shows how one careful observation by a school principal can stop a possible disaster. The police moved fast, experts handled the explosives without delay, and the village stayed safe. Many questions remain, but at least the danger was controlled before anything harm happened. The incident also reminds everyone that safety depends on awareness. Even small things that look out of place should be checked quickly. That simple habit can protect a whole community.