Shootout at ISRO centre near Bangalore, no injuries

Bangalore: Two men found lurking around the Deep Space Network (DSN) centre of India's space agency ISRO early Tuesday fired gunshots when questioned and escaped after the guards returned fire, an official said.

The incident occurred at Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) Deep Space Network in Byalalu, 40 km from here.

"There is no injury or damage," ISRO director S. Satish told IANS.

He could not say whether it was a terror attack. "It is for the police. We have registered a case with Byalalu police and they are investigating."

Satish said the two men were found moving in suspicious circumstances at around 3.30 a.m. Tuesday and were questioned by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel guarding the DSN.

"One of them opened fire with a small pistol. The two managed to escape in the darkness when the CISF guards returned fire," Satish said.

The CISF guards fired eight rounds but the two managed to escape.

DSN consists of an 18-m and 32-m antennae. The 18-m antenna is tailored for the Chandrayaan-1 mission while the 32-m antenna can support other planetary missions of ISRO.
Source: IANS