Scare at Kandla SEZ after hand grenade found in used clothes

Updated: Sep 8th, 2024


Kandla Special Economic Zone (KASEZ) witnessed a commotion after a hand grenade was discovered in a consignment. During an inspection of used clothes imported from abroad at a company in KASEZ, a bomb was found, causing workers to panic and immediately inform the police. The police, accompanied by a bomb squad arrived at KASEZ. Upon opening the bundle of cloth, they found that the hand grenade was ‘dead’ or inactive, which brought relief to the police.

A source familiar with KASEZ operations, revealed that workers at a company named Flex Apparel were sorting used clothes when a worker discovered a hand grenade.

Former Kutch SP Sagar Bagmar explained that the used cloth shipment from the US arrived at Mundra Port and was subsequently sent to the KASEZ company. During sorting of the used clothes, the grenade was found. The bomb squad examined it and confirmed it was deactivated. The grenade has since been removed from economic zone. 

Previously, a German-made pistol was found in KASEZ, which misfired and injured a worker. Often, used clothes arriving at KASEZ contain dollars, gold and silver jewellery but this time the discovery of a hand grenade led to an immediate police response.

Following which there are questions regarding whether the grenade had passed undetected through screening at Mundra Port.

Mundra Port, operated by Adani, has faced issues with illegal goods slipping through. Allegations have been made about mis-declaration and smuggling of goods like supari. Despite the presence of scanners and other measures at Mundra Port, dangerous items still manage to reach KASEZ. This raises concerns about whether the screening processes at Mundra Port are sufficiently rigorous.

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Gujarat