150 kg of explosives seized in Rajasthan on New Year’s eve

The Rajasthan Police on Wednesday seized 150 kg of ammonium nitrate, used as an ingredient in industrial explosives, along with 200 cartridges and six bundles of safety fuse wire from a car on New Year’s eve in Tonk district. Two persons allegedly transporting the consignment were arrested.

The seizure of the massive haul by the District Special Team (DST) may have thwarted a terror conspiracy and averted a disaster during the New Year’s celebrations. Investigative agencies were working to determine the purpose for which the consignment was intended to be used, including for blasting at illegal mining sites in the Aravalli hills.

Tonk Deputy Superintendent of Police Mrityunjay Mishra said the explosives, hidden in urea sacks, were seized from a car heading towards Tonk. The sedan was impounded and the two accused, identified as Surendra Patwa, 48, and Surendra Mochi, 33, were arrested. Both men are residents of Karwar in Bundi district.

DST in-charge Om Prakash Chaudhary said the police were on patrolling when they tried to intercept the car near Chironj village on National Highway-52 on suspicion. “The team followed the car when it did not stop. The accused left the highway and sped towards Chironj. We surrounded the car near the village and stopped it,” he said.

‘Accused got nervous’

Mr. Chaudhary said the two persons became nervous on being questioned and tried to escape. When the car was searched, four urea sacks containing the explosives, cartridges and safety fuse wire measuring about 1,100 metres were recovered.

Though the accused told the DST personnel that they were carrying fertiliser for agricultural purposes in sacks, the recovery of cartridges and fuse wire indicated that the consignment was meant for an illegal activity. Investigation was in progress to ascertain the source, destination, intended use and possible links of the seized explosive material.

Though primarily used in stone quarrying, ammonium nitrate is a highly sensitive chemical that can cause huge destruction. The ammonium nitrate fuel oil was allegedly used in the devastating explosion in a car near Red Fort in Delhi on November 10, in which 15 persons were killed and more than 20 others were injured.