15kg ‘explosives’ found from private bus in Jammu, 3 suspects detained

JAMMU: Three people were detained on Tuesday after 15kg of an explosive-like substance was recovered from a bus at the Jammu bus stand, said officials.

The bus was coming from Billawar Tehsil of Kathua district.

Inspector general of police (IGP Jammu) Mukesh Singh said, “Things are not clear as yet. We are investigating the matter. We are not sure if the confiscated material are actually explosives or not.”

Defence spokesperson Lt Col Devender Anand said, “Some gun-powder type substance has been confiscated. Someone had given the bag to the conductor in Billawar to hand it over to a person in Jammu.”

ACTED ON TIP OFF BY INTELLIGENCE

Acting on a specific intelligence input, the bus was checked by a police team on KC road near the main bus stand in Jammu.

The driver and the conductor of the vehicle were detained for questioning. On their disclosure, another person, who was scheduled to get the delivery of the material, was detained from Sarwal area of Jammu city, the officials said. According to preliminary interrogation, a lady in Billawar gave them the consignment for delivery to another person named Farooq Ahmed, hailing from Ramban, they said.

Officials said a sample of the seized material has been sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory for examination. The three persons who have been detained are being interrogated.

On September 23, the Indian army had arrested a person and recovered 40kg explosives in Kathua during a raid.