Kochi, March 21
A high-level probe has commenced in a case of fire reported at the kitchen of a police station in Kerala's Kochi, where bullets were burnt in a pan.

The incident occurred on March 11 in the kitchen attached to a Kerala Police camp.

A top police official confirmed to IANS that the incident had taken place and the probe was going on.

This strange incident surfaced when the police camp received a call that a squad had to be made available for the ceremonial farewell to an officer who had passed away.

In Kerala, this is a common practice for the police squad to be made available when the state government decides to give a befitting funeral to any person who passes away. Once the permission is granted, as per the protocol, the squad of police personnel arrive in uniform, stand before the mortal remains and fire upwards as a mark of respect to the departed soul.

When one such call came on March 11, the official in charge of the ammunition at the Police camp C.V. Sajeevan got into the act of getting the men and material required to give their colleague who passed away the ceremonial farewell.

Sajeevan while readying the guns and the bullets required for the function found out that a few bullets looked rusty.

With little time left for the function, Sajeevan felt that there was no time to place the rusted bullets in the sun and then clean them using a cloth.

As a measure of quick redressal, Sanjeevan thought that a little fire may clean the bullets. He took a few of them to the kitchen, put them into a pan and lit the fire underneath.

After a while Sajeevan was in for a shock when the bullets exploded and fire ensued. The fire was doused quickly without causing any further damage to the kitchen where gas cylinders were kept.

The probe has commenced and the higher officials are awaiting the full-fledged report for further action.

Bullets burnt in pan in Kerala police station kitchen in Kochi, probe begins