By IANS
Balasore (Orissa) : The scientists from the Defence Research and Development Organisation are to test a new inceptor missile here Thursday.
Defence sources said that as part of advanced air defence exercise, a Prithvi missile modified to “mimic” a hostile ballistic missile would be fired from Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur-on-sea in Orissa, some 130 km from state capital Bhubaneswar.
It will later be intercepted by another missile fired from Wheeler Island at Dhamara, a few minutes later.
“Range integration has reached at final stage and the test would be certainly carried out if the plan and programme go accordingly,” the sources said.
On Sunday, the scientists had conducted a mock trial of the new high-speed missile by using an electronic target fired from the ITR.
Meanwhile the Orissa government Wednesday asked the fishermen in the coastal districts of Balasore and Bhadrak not to venture into the Bay of Bengal as precautionary measure due to the missile test.
The district administration in Balasore has temporarily shifted 4,050 adults and 757 children from six villages located near the test range.
“They will be shifted to temporarily shelters a few hours before the scheduled test,” Balasore Collector Alekh Chandra Padhiary told IANS.
“Twelve vehicles have been arranged for their transportation. While the police officials will guard them, two medicals teams will provide medical facilities,” he said.