2 ordnance factory officers suspended after mortar shells left behind in wagon | Bhubaneswar News
Bhubaneswar/Balangir: Two officers of the ordnance factory at Badmal in Balangir district were suspended on Tuesday after 12 mortar shells were left behind in a goods train wagon on Saturday.
The factory staff unloaded 24 out of 25 containers at Badmal and the goods train returned to Kantabanji station with one container of TNT (trinitrotoluene) shells. Sources said the shells are from the 2015 batch and are used in the Bofors gun.
Official sources said that at 11.35 am on Sunday, the station master of Kantabanji informed RPF personnel that some mortar shells were left behind in a wagon while taking the goods train for loading rice bags. After getting information, the RPF inspector of Kantabanji along with officers and other staff immediately visited the site and found the shells packed in a wooden container.
During an inquiry by RPF, it was found that the goods train containing mortar shells arrived at Badmal station on Friday from Pulgaon in Maharashtra. The train was taken to the exchange yard of the ordnance factory in Badmal at 6 pm. Official sources said the train was released at 3 pm on Saturday after unloading the containers. It departed at 12.40 am on Sunday and arrived in Kantabanji at 10.15 am. The empty rake containing 22 wagons was moved to the tower wagon siding in Kantabanji at 10.40 am for loading rice bags.
“During the course of loading rice, the mortar shells were detected and the station master of Kantabanji was informed. Later, the matter was informed to Govt Railway Police and the Kantabanji police station,” said an official source.
At 4 pm on Sunday, ordnance factory officers reached Kantabanji and produced the documents for the mortar shells (155 mm) booked from Pulgaon to Badmal.
According to the officers, out of 25 wooden containers, one was left in the wagon. Subsequently, the shells were unloaded and handed over to the ordnance factory staff in the presence of local police and GRP, official sources said. According to factory sources, the Central Ammunition Depot at Pulgaon in Maharashtra sent a consignment of 25 containers of 155 mm mortar shells via the goods train. The consignment arrived on Saturday night and was unloaded into the store. Due to a human error, a container of 12 shells was left inside the wagon by the staff on duty. Ordnance authorities said that an inquiry into the incident has been ordered.
The factory staff unloaded 24 out of 25 containers at Badmal and the goods train returned to Kantabanji station with one container of TNT (trinitrotoluene) shells. Sources said the shells are from the 2015 batch and are used in the Bofors gun.
Official sources said that at 11.35 am on Sunday, the station master of Kantabanji informed RPF personnel that some mortar shells were left behind in a wagon while taking the goods train for loading rice bags. After getting information, the RPF inspector of Kantabanji along with officers and other staff immediately visited the site and found the shells packed in a wooden container.
During an inquiry by RPF, it was found that the goods train containing mortar shells arrived at Badmal station on Friday from Pulgaon in Maharashtra. The train was taken to the exchange yard of the ordnance factory in Badmal at 6 pm. Official sources said the train was released at 3 pm on Saturday after unloading the containers. It departed at 12.40 am on Sunday and arrived in Kantabanji at 10.15 am. The empty rake containing 22 wagons was moved to the tower wagon siding in Kantabanji at 10.40 am for loading rice bags.
“During the course of loading rice, the mortar shells were detected and the station master of Kantabanji was informed. Later, the matter was informed to Govt Railway Police and the Kantabanji police station,” said an official source.
At 4 pm on Sunday, ordnance factory officers reached Kantabanji and produced the documents for the mortar shells (155 mm) booked from Pulgaon to Badmal.
According to the officers, out of 25 wooden containers, one was left in the wagon. Subsequently, the shells were unloaded and handed over to the ordnance factory staff in the presence of local police and GRP, official sources said. According to factory sources, the Central Ammunition Depot at Pulgaon in Maharashtra sent a consignment of 25 containers of 155 mm mortar shells via the goods train. The consignment arrived on Saturday night and was unloaded into the store. Due to a human error, a container of 12 shells was left inside the wagon by the staff on duty. Ordnance authorities said that an inquiry into the incident has been ordered.
