June 18, 2002	Tuesday	Rabi-us-Sani 6, 1423

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window)

NEW DELHI, June 17: A reported blast on Monday at India’s state-owned firm Bharat Dynamics that manufactures nuclear-capable Agni missiles may never have occurred, according to conflicting reports available in New Delhi.

A web-based newspaper reported in a one-line flash that 40 people were killed in the blast at the Hyderabad-based Bharat Dynamics firm.

But an Indian TV channel linked with the website later quoted its reporter as saying that there was confusion about a blast and that in fact a roof at the complex may have blown up. There was no mention of deaths.

The news channel quoted local police for its report and said there was no proper confirmation about the real picture because of the secrecy and virtual inaccessibility surrounding the complex.

There was no official confirmation available in Delhi of the reported incident.—JN