J&K cricketer's bag tests negative for explosives

Bangalore:

Jammu and Kashmir cricket player Pervez Rasool, who was detained by the police after explosives detecting gadget picked up signals from his bag, has been given a clean chit by the Forensic Science Laboratory, which said the luggage did not contain any residual of explosive substance including RDX.

"It may be seen from the report that there is no residual of explosive substance found inclusive of RDX," the FSL report said, two weeks after police picked up Rasool for questioning and seized his bag, after an explosive detecting gadget at Chinnaswamy stadium sent out an alarm.

The detention of Rasool and his room mate Merajuddin, part of the Under-22 cricket team that was here to play in the C K Nayudu trophy on October 17, when a Champions League T20 cricket match was also scheduled, had triggered protests from Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association, which denounced the police action and demanded an apology from the KSCA.

Bangalore City Police questioned both the players, but set them free later for 'lack of evidence'. However, Rasool's bag was sent for analysis to the FSL.

The FSL report said "however diisooctyl phthalate (DIOP) has been found to be present both inside and the plastic pouch of the bag. DIOP is widely used plasticiser, primarily to make soft and flexible PVC for various applications," Joint Commissioner of Police M R Poojar said here on Wednesday.

The report received two days ago pointed out that the detection equipment used in the stadium had reportedly given a "positive signal towards C4 plastic explosive".