A 'live' bomb was found placed in an unattended bag near the ticket counters at the Mangalore International Airport in Karnataka on Monday, creating panic.
According to police, the bomb was found in the unclaimed laptop bag and has been taken in a bomb disposal unit vehicle for controlled explosion at an open place here.
"According to the preliminary reports, a live bomb was found at the Mangaluru Airport today. Steps have been taken to neutralise it and carry out further inquiry to identify people behind it," said Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai.
News reports stated that the laptop bag contained all the elements of an improvised explosive device (IED), including the battery, wire, timer, switch, detonator and explosive.
Earlier, after the suspicious bag was noticed, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), which is maintaining security at the airport, cordoned off the area and reported the matter to the police. Mangaluru Police Commissioner P. S. Harsha rushed to the airport along with a police team and bomb disposal squad.
The suspect is believed to have left the airport in an autorickshaw. The Mangalore police released the following image of the suspect and the autorickshaw he left in, shared by ANI.
Karnataka: Mangaluru Police releases photographs of suspect and the autorickshaw he was seen leaving in, in the CCTV footage. A suspicious bag was found at Mangaluru Airport today. https://t.co/9X3seeADZC pic.twitter.com/NKeak3rwnz
— ANI (@ANI) January 20, 2020
