Karnataka Government award for bomb squad member

Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa has announced an award for member of the state bomb disposal squad, who successfully defused a live bomb found near a shopping mall in Koramangala on Saturday.

Yeddyurappa said the State Government would give an award of Rs 100,000 to Sukumaran, the member of the state bomb disposal squad, who had risked his own life and skillfully deactivated an unexploded bomb concealed in a bucket-shaped object in Koramangala.

The successful deactivation of the unexploded bomb by Sukumaran led to a sigh of relief among a large number of curious on-lookers including a posse of personnel led by Bangalore City Police Commissioner Shankar Bidri.

However, it was also the presence of mind of a roadside tea stall vendor Rajamani, who had alerted the traffic policemen on duty that there was a bomb-like object near his shop.

Rajamani also claimed he had seen a youth in his mid-twenties, wearing a red T shirt, placing the suspicious looking bucket-like object on the pavement before taking to his heels and melting away in the adjoining by-lanes.

When the traffic policemen came and inspected the object, the sprouting of a few wires confirmed their suspicion. Immediately, they alerted the senior officials and soon khaki-clad police personnel swarmed the area and cleared off the people.

Sukumaran and his colleagues from the bomb disposal squad too had reached the venue. Without losing much time, Sukumaran, who was fully equipped with anti-explosive apparel, crawled towards the bomb that had been camouflaged as an abandoned bucket. Seconds later, he turned around and gestured with a thumbs up signal to indicate that the bomb had been deactivated, much to the relief of the on-lookers.

Shankar Bidri, who watched the entire proceedings, later confirmed to reporters that the bomb comprised a microchip, detonator, chemicals, electrical timer and oil packed and sealed in a bucket-shaped cement pot.