7 tonnes ammonium nitrate, detonators seized in Maharahstra

KOLHAPUR - The Kolhapur district police Saturday seized nearly seven tonnes of ammonium nitrate and 50 electronic detonators - two key ingredients for making explosives - and nabbed two people, a police official said.

Acting on a tip-off, police swooped down on a warehouse on the outskirts of the town and found 6.90 tonnes of ammonium nitrate, according to police chief Yashasvi Yadav.

Yadav said 50 electronic detonators were transported here from Sangli in a Tata Indica car without valid license or documents.

“As per our investigations, the ammonium nitrate and detonators have been brought here from Sangli. We have arrested two people, including the warehouse owner,” Yadav said.

He said that the intended destination or the purpose of the huge quantity of explosive chemicals was also being probed in view of the current circumstances, but declined to speculate on the name of any group which could be involved in the matter.

Incidentally, Sangli, from where the police say the ammonium nitrate was brought to Kolhapur, is the home district of state home minister R.R.Patil.