Days ahead of I-Day, Thane police seize 15-kg explosive cache
Fifteen kilograms of ammonium nitrate and nine detonators stashed inside the boot of a Scorpio car have been seized by police. The car was parked at a garage, where old cars are scrapped, near Gosaya compound in Daighar, Thane.
The nine detonator sticks were attached to yellow coloured nylon wire of six feet. Police said wire was made by Supreme company.
The explosives and the detonators were off loaded at Kalyan railway station on Sunday. Three persons — Mahinsa Rajesahab Ganur (40), Shah Alam Mohammed Shaikh (32) and Aarif Nawab Ali (23) — all residents of Kausa in Mumbra, have been arrested from Reti Bunder in connected with the seizure. They have been remanded in three days’ police custody after booking them under IPC Section 286 and sections 5 and 6 of the Explosives Act.
Khan is unemployed while Shaikh does odd jobs and Guner is a scrap dealer.
The seizure was made when Independence Day celebrations is only a week away.
“We are suspecting money dispute and accused Ganur had put the explosives in the car to seek revenge. The exact motive has not been ascertained as yet. An Omni van which was used to ferry the explosives has been seized. Shah Alam had kept the explosives inside the Scorpio,” Additional Commissioner of Police, Thane region, Satyanaryan Chaudhary said.
Senior Police Inspector Sushil Jawade of Shil Daighar police station said, “The RPF at Kalyan informed the ATS about the matter. An ATS team went to the spot and confirmed the explosives kept in the car. We were informed by the RPF.”
Nearly 50 grams of ammonium has been sent for forensic test. DS Swamy, DCP (zone 1) said, “The impact of a 15-kg bomb of ammonium nitrate in a public place would be disastrous.”