Malkangiri: An abandoned television set on NH-326 between Govindpally and Mathili near Udulibeda in Mathili police limits sparked panic among local residents on Tuesday morning.

Sources said villagers discovered the old television lying unattended near a tree on the roadside. The villagers informed police suspecting that Maoists might have planted explosives near it.

A team of BSF personnel reached the spot and examined the area. A bomb disposal squad was called in from Malkangiri.

"No explosives were found during examination of the area. However, we suspected that the television could have been used as a pressure bomb. We did not want to take any chances and our bomb disposal squad destroyed the television," said Malkangiri superintendent of police Jagmohan Meena.