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Hyderabad CFSL confirms powder found in UP Assembly wasn’t an explosive

Published

9 years ago

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File photo of security drill at UP Assembly

Major embarrassment for Yogi Adityanath government which had hurriedly sought an NIA probe, ordered slew of restrictions on vehicular entry in Assembly premises

In a major embarrassment for the Yogi Adityanath government, the Hyderabad-based Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) has confirmed that the ‘high-intensity explosive’ powder found in the UP Assembly on July 12 was actually a harmless silicon oxide or silica powder, one of the most commonly used substances in construction and sand-casting!

On July 14, two days after the so-called explosive was found stuck under a seat in the Opposition benches, UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath had informed the state Assembly that there was a “dangerous terror conspiracy” and that tests conducted by the state forensic science laboratory in Lucknow had concluded that the powder was PETN – Pentaery-thritol Tetranitrate – one of the most powerful explosives, colourless and hard to detect in a sealed container.

The chief minister had gone on to announce a slew of new security measures for the Assembly, including deployment of quick-reaction teams inside the Vidhan Sabha premises and a ban on MLAs to enter the assembly with their cell phones or bags. Adityanath had then referred the case for an investigation by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), while claiming: “500 grams of the substance (PETN) is enough to blow up the entire Vidhan Sabha, and this was 150 grams… this can be called nothing less than a direct infiltration and now the NIA must probe it immediately.”

Yogi Adityanath

Yogi Adityanath

However, days after the high drama unfolded in the Vidhan Sabha, chinks began appearing in Adityanath’s story, with several independent forensic experts and some media organisations claiming that the state FSL had no expertise or apparatus to test PETN. The Adityanath government, however, continued to insist that the powder was indeed an explosive while the state’s Anti-Terrorism Squad summoned two Samajwadi Party MLAs for questioning as the powder had been found from under their seat.

Now, with the Hyderabad CFSL conclusively demolishing the PETN, a different narrative is being built by the Adityanath government.On Monday, the Dr SB Upadhyay, director of the UP FSL which had concluded the powder to be PETN, was suspended by the government citing a laundry list of charges.

UP Principal Secretary (Home) Arvind Kumar told The Indian Express, “Upadhyay has been suspended on various charges, including giving unconfirmed, incorrect and incomplete laboratory report on the powder found inside the UP Assembly. He was also misguiding the government.” Sources also said that the kit that was used to test the powder’s contents by the UP FSL on July 12 had actually expired in March while the analysts who conducted these tests too didn’t belong to the lab’s explosives section.

Predictably, no explanation has been given by the UP government yet on why these issues were probed by the state when initial doubts had been raised on the report of the UP FSL.

It may be recalled that within a week of the UP FSL and Adityanath claiming that the powder was PETN, the Agra-based Forensic Science Laboratory – the only lab in UP which is equipped to test explosives – had said that the powder was not an explosive. However, the UP government had then gone in an overdrive to refute the Agra FSL report, claiming that no sample of the powder found in the Assembly premises had been sent to the Agra lab for testing.

The UP government is also claiming that the now-suspended UP FSL chief also faces complaints of financial irregularities during his tenure as acting director of a laboratory in Patna between 2008 and 2012. Arvind Kumar, principal secretary (home), said that the Bihar government had written to the UP government, seeking action against Upadhyay, and that the complaint by the Nitish Kumar government had also been included in the chargesheet filed against the UP FSL chief. However, Kumar failed to answer why Upadhyay was appointed the UP FSL chief in the first place if there were complaints of financial irregularities pending against him when he was selected for the role.

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8 Pune students drown at Diveagar beach in Maharashtra’s Raigad

Eight students from a private coaching academy in Pune drowned at Diveagar beach in Maharashtra’s Raigad district during a picnic on Thursday. All eight bodies were recovered.

Published

1 hour ago

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October 1, 2026

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Eight students from Pune drowned in the sea at Diveagar beach in Maharashtra’s Raigad district on Thursday while on a picnic, police said. All eight bodies have been recovered.

The students, all aged 16, were from a private coaching academy at Alandi in Pune district. They were part of a larger group that had travelled to the beach for a picnic.

According to a police official, the group comprised 48 people, including 25 boys, 17 girls and six teachers. The students belonged to Classes 11 and 12.

Students swept away after entering sea

The eight students entered the sea at Diveagar beach and were swept away after misjudging the depth of the water and the current, the police official said.

The beach comes under the jurisdiction of the Dighi Coastal Police Station. The location is around 170 km from Alandi as well as from Mumbai.

Rescue teams were alerted after the students were swept away. A local water sports team also joined the rescue operation and recovered the bodies of all eight students.

Police and local authorities subsequently took custody of the bodies and sent them to the Primary Health Centre at Borli Panchatan for post-mortem examinations and other required legal procedures.

The deceased students were identified as Tanmay Dattatray Vahile, Sumit Bharat Ahire, Pranav Ramdas Bansode, Kaivalya Satish Wasankar, Rajveer Yuvraj Vahile, Yash Kiran Wankhede, Soham Tukaram Bhandwalkar and Kaustubh Sandeep Daund.

Police and local authorities are carrying out further legal and administrative proceedings following the incident.

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India News

CJP announces protests in Goa, Bengaluru, Kolkata over Gyanesh Kumar

CJP’s Abhijeet Dipke has announced protests in Goa, Bengaluru and Kolkata as the organisation continues its campaign demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation.

Published

3 hours ago

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October 1, 2026

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The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has announced plans for protests in Goa, Bengaluru and Kolkata as it continues its campaign against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke made the announcement ahead of the organisation’s “Jail Bharo Andolan” at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park on October 2. 

Dipke said the protests would continue until Gyanesh Kumar resigns, according to the report.

CJP plans protests in three cities

The organisation’s next protests are planned in Goa, Bengaluru and Kolkata, marking an expansion of its campaign beyond Mumbai.

The announcement comes ahead of the CJP’s ‘Jail Bharo Andolan’ at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park on October 2. 

The CJP has been demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. 

Dipke says protest will continue

Dipke said the campaign would continue until Kumar steps down from his position. The latest announcement adds protests in three more cities to the campaign. 

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PM Modi praises captain Smit Machchhar after flydubai plane incident

Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Captain Smit Machchhar, saying the Indian flydubai pilot showed immense courage despite being seriously injured during the cockpit confrontation.

Published

12 hours ago

on

October 1, 2026

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi has praised Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar for his actions during a serious incident aboard a flydubai flight, saying his courage helped protect the lives of those on board.

In a post on X on Thursday, PM Modi described Captain Machchhar as a hero and said he displayed courage despite being seriously injured during the incident. The Prime Minister also wished him a speedy recovery and renewed strength.

“Captain Smit Machchhar is a HERO,” PM Modi wrote, adding that his courage and determination helped save hundreds of lives and avert a major tragedy.

What happened on the flydubai flight

According to the report, the co-pilot of a flydubai flight carrying more than 170 passengers allegedly attempted to sabotage the aircraft while it was travelling from Dubai towards Tel Aviv.

Machchhar confronted the co-pilot during the incident and was stabbed. Passengers subsequently helped overpower the co-pilot.

The Boeing 737 was flying at around 34,000 feet when it began a sudden descent at approximately 10:51 am IST. It descended at a rate of roughly 23,000 feet per minute before reaching around 15,600 feet, according to the report.

Captain Smit Machchhar’s flying experience

Machchhar is an Indian citizen who has worked with flydubai for four years. Before joining the Dubai-based airline, he spent 10 years with SpiceJet.

According to his LinkedIn profile, he has more than 13 years of commercial flying experience on Boeing 737 aircraft and has logged more than 9,750 flying hours. He has also worked extensively as a line training captain.

PM Modi said Machchhar’s actions in the face of serious danger demonstrated his determination to protect others and helped avert what could have been a major tragedy.

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