Police seized a huge consignment of explosives smuggled across the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border on Sunday morning. The explosives were seized in Palakkad’s Walayar. According to the Walayar police, 7,500 detonators and 7,000 gelatin sticks were seized from a mini lorry. The explosives were hidden along with several cartons of tomatoes which were being transported from Erode in Tamil Nadu to Angamaly in Ernakulam district.
A video clipping of the consignment shows the gelatin sticks, light pink in colour, wrapped in plastic sheets. The plastic cartons where the tomato is placed as well as explosives were packaged inside cardboard boxes and transported.
According to the police, a total of 35 cartons of explosives were seized from the mini lorry. Although investigations are ongoing, it is suspected that the explosives were being carried to be used in one of the many quarries in Palakkad district.
Following the seizure, the Walayar police arrested two Tamil Nadu natives, identified as Ravi and Prabhu, who were in the mini lorry. “We have recorded their arrest ans are still investigating more details about them. The explosives were seized early morning on Sunday,” an officer from the Walayar police station told TNM.
Gelatin sticks are made of Gelignite, also known as blasting gelatin or jelly, and used for blasting rocks in quarries and other purposes.
In September 2020, two migrant workers in Kalady, Ernakulam, lost their lives after explosives stored illegally in a building near a quarry burst. The explosives substances were reportedly stored without permits for the purpose of blasting rocks for mining. The deceased were sleeping inside the building when the explosion took place at 3:30 in the morning. Following the blast, the police arrested several persons including the owners of the quarry, the general manager of the quarry and other associates. The arrested persons were booked under charges of culpable homicide.
Watch the video here:
35 boxes containing 7000 gelatin sticks and 7500 detonators caught by @TheKeralaPolice while being smuggled in a truck carrying tomatoes from Salem to Aluva. pic.twitter.com/Bpo9bUGpAm
— Pramod Madhav♠️ (@PramodMadhav6) November 15, 2020