Bag with detonators, gelatin sticks triggers panic on bus at PNBS in Vijayawada
Police in Vijayawada, India, discovered a bag containing 46 gelatin sticks and 50 detonators on a bus traveling from Narasaraopet. Authorities are currently investigating the origin of the explosives and searching for the owner, suspecting they may be intended for quarrying operations.
Why it matters
The incident highlights significant public safety concerns regarding the illegal transport of hazardous materials on public transit systems.
Detonators and gelatin sticks were found in a luggage bag on a bus at the Pandit Nehru Bus Station (PNBS) in Vijayawada in the early hours of Tuesday (September 15, 2026).
A passenger, Asif Ali of Uttar Pradesh, who noticed the unattended bag alerted the police and handed it over to the Krishnalanka police.
The investigation found that the bag had been placed on the bus travelling from Narasaraopet in Palnadu district to Vijayawada. The police found 46 gelatin sticks and 50 detonators in the bag and are trying to trace its owner.
The South Zone police of the NTR Commissionerate formed special teams to trace its owner. A sniffer dog and a bomb detection squad were pressed into service.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Krishna Kanth Patil said the case is being probed from all angles, and the owner of the explosive material would be traced soon.
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