Bullets explode in pan, probe underway at Kochi police station kitchen
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Kochi: A high-level investigation is underway into a fire incident at a police station kitchen in Kochi, Kerala, where bullets were burnt in a pan.
The incident took place on March 11 at the kitchen of a Kerala police camp.
A senior police official confirmed to IANS that the incident occurred and an investigation is currently underway.
This strange incident surfaced when the police camp received a call that a squad had to be made available for the ceremonial farewell to an officer who had passed away.
In Kerala, it is a customary practice for a police squad to be deployed when the state government decides to accord a state funeral to a deceased individual. Upon receiving permission, a team of police personnel, dressed in uniform, arrive at the site, stand at attention before the mortal remains, and fire a ceremonial volley into the air as a mark of respect to the departed.
On March 11, when a request was made for a ceremonial farewell, C.V. Sajeevan, the official in charge of ammunition at the police camp, sprang into action to mobilise the necessary personnel and resources to honour their deceased colleague.
As Sajeevan prepared the firearms and ammunition for the ceremony, he noticed that some of the bullets appeared to be rusty.
With time running out before the ceremony, Sajeevan decided that there wasn't enough time to sun-dry the rusty bullets and then manually clean them with a cloth.
In an attempt to quickly remedy the situation, Sajeevan believed that applying heat would clean the bullets. He took a few of them to the kitchen, placed them in a pan, and lit a fire underneath.
However, Sajeevan was soon in for a shocking surprise when the bullets suddenly exploded, triggering a fire. Fortunately, the flames were quickly extinguished, preventing any further damage to the kitchen, where gas cylinders were stored.
The probe has commenced, and the higher officials are awaiting the full-fledged report for further action.
(inputs from IANS)