Karnataka Police seized gelatine sticks from a location near Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s convoy route in Bengaluru on 10 May 2026, detaining 1 suspect for questioning. The recovery triggered an immediate security review along the route ahead of the PM’s scheduled visit to the city.
The sticks were found in an area falling under the jurisdiction of Bengaluru’s Commissionerate, though police have not yet publicly named the specific locality. Gelatine sticks are classified as explosive material under the Explosives Act, 1884, and their unauthorised possession carries a sentence of up to 3 years.
What Happened
Local police, coordinating with the Special Protection Group (SPG) during a standard advance route-sanitisation sweep, discovered the gelatine sticks. The find was made during pre-visit security checks that are mandatory protocol for any Prime Ministerial movement in an Indian city.
One individual was detained near the recovery site. Karnataka Police have not formally charged the suspect as of publication. Investigators are examining whether the material was linked to any criminal or construction activity — gelatine sticks are also used in mining and demolition — or represented a deliberate threat to the convoy.
Security Protocols Triggered
The SPG, which provides proximate security to the Prime Minister under the Special Protection Group Act, 1988, activated its contingency protocol. Additional Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) units were deployed along the route. A bomb disposal squad from the Bengaluru City Police examined the recovered material on site.
The incident falls squarely within the SPG’s 3-tier security framework — outer perimeter (state police), middle ring (Central Armed Police Forces), and inner cordon (SPG agents) — that governs every PM convoy movement.
ℹ️ Why Gelatine Sticks Matter
- Gelatine sticks contain nitroglycerine-based explosive compound and can be detonated with a blasting cap.
- Unauthorised possession is a cognisable, non-bailable offence under the Explosives Act, 1884.
- Past security incidents near VVIP routes — including the 2014 Patna rally blasts that killed 6 people — have involved improvised devices using similar explosive material.
- Karnataka has active quarrying and mining belts in districts like Ballari and Tumakuru, making gelatine diversion a known enforcement concern in the state.
Context: Bengaluru Visit
PM Modi was in Bengaluru as part of an official engagement. The nature of the visit — programme details, duration, and venues — had been coordinated with the Karnataka government led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Security for Prime Ministerial visits to Karnataka’s capital is handled jointly by the SPG, Intelligence Bureau (IB) field units, and the Karnataka Police’s VIP Security Division.
Karnataka Police have registered a case under relevant sections of the Explosives Act. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has not formally entered the case as of 10 May 2026, though protocol allows NIA to take cognisance if a terror angle is established.
What Happens Next
Karnataka Police are expected to produce the detained suspect before a magistrate within 24 hours, as mandated under Section 57 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. Forensic examination of the recovered sticks — to determine batch origin, supplier chain, and whether a detonator was present — is underway at the Bengaluru Forensic Science Laboratory and results are expected within 72 hours of the recovery.
FAQ
What are gelatine sticks?
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