It bears the logo of BrahMos and the date of October 24, 2016

The Marine police of the Coastal Security Group (CSG) has retrieved a suspected second stage engine of BrahMos missile found in the Palk Bay on Panaikulam seashore near here on Wednesday.

On being alerted by the local fishermen, the a marine police team led by Inspector of Police Felix Suresh Peter and Sub-Inspector of Police G Ayyanar pulled out the 15-ft long and one tonne weighing ‘engine’, found in waist-deep water in the sea, using ropes to the shore.

Police suspected that the cylindrical object was liquid propellant engine of the ‘surface to ship’ BrahMos missile and it could have fell into the Bay of Bengal after it was test fired in Odisha coast. The engine bore the logo of BrahMos and the date of October 24, 2016, implying the date of manufacture of the engine.

The missile should have been test-fired in 2017 from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur-on-sea at Baleswar district of Odisha, informed sources said. The engine using solid propellant could have been the second stage engine, they said.

The local Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) examined the ‘engine’ with sniffer dog and opined that it posed no danger. Superintendent of Police Omprakash Meena, quoting BDDS personnel, said there was no suspicion about explosives in the cylindrical object.

The Marine police have informed the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the space agency is likely to send its team to examine the engine and decide on further action. The recovered engine was kept at the shore and police picketing has been posted at the site, Marine police said. They tried to transport the engine to the Marine police station at Devipattinam but dropped the idea.