Police in Kerala seized over 10,500 gelatin sticks and detonators from a lorry carrying onions. A woman, the lorry’s owner, was arrested. The explosives are believed to be intended for illegal mining.
More than 10,500 gelatin sticks and detonators were seized from a lorry carrying onions at Chemmad in Kerala on Saturday, 7 February, news agency PTI reported, citing the police.
According to police, nearly 245 boxes consisting of more than 10,500 gelatin sticks, detonators and wires were recovered from a lorry parked at a bricks manufacturing unit.
The police have arrested the woman, who owns the lorry, an officer told the news portal.
The officials at the Tirurangadi police station informed that the onion-laden lorry had arrived at the brick manufacturing unit late on Friday night.
Following a tip-off, police arrived at the location, and the individuals who had been unloading the goods from the lorry escaped.
On Saturday morning, police unloaded the consignment and discovered boxes hidden among the bags of onions, containing detonators, gelatin sticks, and wires.
Police officials stated that the quantification process has been completed, and a case will be registered shortly.
According to them, the woman in custody also operates a quarry, and it is believed that the detonators and gelatin sticks were intended for illegal mining operations. An officer told the news portal that the explosives were bought from outside Kerala, and an investigation has been initiated to determine their origin.
100 boxes of gelatin sticks seized in Palakkad
A similar development was reported from Kerala a few days ago when a pick-up van carrying more than 100 boxes of explosives was seized near Palakkad town, PTI reported on 5 February, citing the police.
An officer from the Palakkad Town South police station said they discovered over 100 boxes of gelatin sticks and more than 20 boxes of detonators in the vehicle.
He mentioned that the boxes were hidden beneath a shipment of watermelons and that the seizure happened late on Wednesday.
The officer added that the driver of the vehicle was taken into custody. In initial questioning, the driver stated he had loaded the boxes in Coimbatore and was heading to a quarry in Thrissur.
Police stopped the pick-up van during a vehicle inspection after receiving information that large quantities of explosives were being illegally imported into the state, the officer was quoted as saying.
(With inputs from PTI.)
