1100 kg explosives haul in Kolkata

[SwAggeR]

KOLKATA: The Okhahoma bombings of 1995 that killed 168 people had 2200 kg of ammonium nitrate and Sulphur packed in to it along with fuel oil. In Kolkata on Sunday afternoon, the CID recovered about half of this amount at the ever crowded Strand Road leading to Howrah Bridge. Experts say the 600 kg of ammonium nitrate along with another 500 kg of Sulphur and 20 kg of aluminium nitrate recovered from 54 Strand Road could have left devastating effect in the city. The huge recovery was made from within a transporter's go-down close to the Howrah Bridge but it was only when the contents were analyzed at the nearby Jorabagan police station that the sleuths realized the gravity of the situation.

The fact that this huge stack was locked inside a go-down even as the city went in to a high-alert for I-Day has not gone well in the security establishment. "By the looks of it, the entire modus operandi is tried and tested and up and running for several months. We are investigating this aspect closely," said a source.

The recovery was made after the ATS of the CID arrested one Pankaj Gadhai, a resident of Jajpur Road in Odisha from Jorabagan in central Kolkata last Friday, hours before the I-Day celebrations. The go-down belongs to one Susanta Pakhira, who too is a resident of Odisha. According to CID sleuths, the recovery has direct connection with the Raghunathganj explosives haul that took place on August 8 where two persons were arrested for carrying over 100kg of explosives in a SUV. Pankaj is the fourth accused who has been arrested so far in this case that has intra-state and inter-country ramifications.

The CID has so far claimed that the explosives used to arrive at the Kolkata go-down from designated areas of Odisha. Sometimes, they added, the raw material consignments arrived from Bihar. The explosives were then sent to several areas in Murshidabad like Domkal and Suti from where the bombs would be made. These consignments sometimes were sent either through trucks or even the local train network. Once the bombs were manufactured, they were pushed back in to Kolkata and the Barrackpore Industrial belt. Sleuths believe a portion of it were sneaked even in to neighbouring Bangladesh.

Experts dealing with explosives say 600kg of explosives is enough to bring down a highrise provided the other elements required for it are in order. "A 600kg bomb would take a building down and if they had got the mix, the detonators and the timing right, it would have been catastrophic," said an officer who has put in over two decades of service in to counter-terrorism activities.

A section of the CID officers though are not convinced that the entire material was used only for merely the Lal-Sada bombs, a top draw among leading criminals of this city. "The Lal-Sada bombs used by criminals do use Sulphur but not ammonium nitrate. It is a potassium compound that they procure from chemical shops.

Sources said the quality of the material, the route and the transport mechanism has stunning similarity with that of Burdwan Khagragarh blast. We are constantly in touch with the central investigating agency because they are also simultaneously probing into the matter. The main duo- Akhtar Sk, 28, and Rafiqul Islam, 34 - arrested in this connection are being interrogated but Pankaj might hold the key to the investigations.

More interestingly, according to the sources in the central agency, they got the tip off during interrogation of one of the suspects in Burdwan blast and that was eventually passed on to the police. Police successfully intercepted the vehicle and that led to such huge haul. "We are surprised about the development and this gives a more alarming picture which the central agency is trying to probe. A proper investigation might unearth more shocking things," a NIA officer said adding that their theory of explosives being parceled in trains in Bengal (a finding during the Titagarh local train blast) gets credence from this bust. The NIA which has questioned the accused might take over the case now, say intelligence sources.



1100 kg explosives haul in Kolkata - The Times of India

 

[jamahir]

the entire article is without context.

 

[Styx]

so many busts these past few days, hope we don't hear of one that slipped through the net later.

the entire article is without context.

yeah, it is a bit of a confusing read.. I guess they're not sure themselves, either way, those are significant quantities of explosives.. and even half of an Oklahoma style bomb would cause thrice as many casualties here due to the population density.

 

[Gufi]

Experts say the 600 kg of ammonium nitrate along with another 500 kg of Sulphur and 20 kg of aluminium nitrate

did they leave any detail out. should have stopped at explosives, things left unsaid are better at times

Experts dealing with explosives say 600kg of explosives is enough to bring down a highrise provided the other elements required for it are in order. "A 600kg bomb would take a building down and if they had got the mix, the detonators and the timing right, it would have been catastrophic," said an officer who has put in over two decades of service in to counter-terrorism activities.

the media needs gag orders, telling what could be done to maximize the blow is something idiotic

A section of the CID officers though are not convinced that the entire material was used only for merely the Lal-Sada bombs, a top draw among leading criminals of this city. "The Lal-Sada bombs used by criminals do use Sulphur but not ammonium nitrate. It is a potassium compound that they procure from chemical shops.

this gets funnier and funnier... why not draw out maps with the exact areas to get things from and write the formula also

yeah, it is a bit of a confusing read.. I guess they're not sure themselves, either way, those are significant quantities of explosives.. and even half of an Oklahoma style bomb would cause thrice as many casualties here due to the population density.

why do they announce every single thing on the media like this, is there no real stop on the level of details that should be kkept from the public

 

[SwAggeR]

the entire article is without context.

Context is not clear since investigation isn't complete. But I think Mosism is trying to spread it's wings once again in WB.Consider it left's last ditch .

 

[Gibbs]

Context is not clear since investigation isn't complete. But I think Mosism is trying to spread it's wings once again in WB.Consider it left's last ditch .

Any connection with what happened yesterday ? Strange both happens to be in Calcutta

 

[Styx]

why do they announce every single thing on the media like this, is there no real stop on the level of details that should be kkept from the public

local low level reporters looking for a story hound police stations in the big cities all day and all night.. go figure

 

[Srinivas]

Nice job !

we need to be vigilante, things are not looking right.

 

[SwAggeR]

Any connection with what happened yesterday Strange it happens to be Calcutta

Prima facie it doesn't look like that since materials from Orissa were only being hurled further north in India, but if what you suspect is true then it can be ascertained only after completion of the through investigation.

did they leave any detail out. should have stopped at explosives, things left unsaid are better at times

the media needs gag orders, telling what could be done to maximize the blow is something idiotic


this gets funnier and funnier... why not draw out maps with the exact areas to get things from and write the formula also


why do they announce every single thing on the media like this, is there no real stop on the level of details that should be kkept from the public

I think these detailed informations are rather easily available on net.

 

[Gufi]

I think these detailed informations are rather easily available on net.

when accessed on net, it can be traced easily. Very few people actually go reading these things, sadly if it is this open it can be read by anyone...

 

[Gibbs]

Prima facie it doesn't look like that since materials from Orissa were only being hurled further north in India, but if what you suspect is true then it can be ascertained only after completion of the through investigation.



I think these detailed informations are rather easily available on net.

Coincidence.. May be, Explosives can come from anywhere if the network is good enough

 

[SwAggeR]

Coincidence.. May be, Explosives can come from anywhere if the network is good enough

You are just being paranoid about that, we ourselves have lot of domestic problem itself. You can see no tamalian has been named yet let alone being arrested .

 

[SP!TF!R3]

these articles used for making crude bombs,ones political goons use to scare people and such.Sadly,West Bengal's Political parties always resort to these,and thats why demand is so high.

 

[nForce]

Any connection with what happened yesterday ? Strange both happens to be in Calcutta

You mean the LTTE connection ?
That's an interesting thought...But why Kolkata ? You will find only Bengalis there who have nothing to do with any kind of conflict going on around the World..

 

[Gibbs]

You are just being paranoid about that, we ourselves have lot of domestic problem itself. You can see no tamalian has been named yet let alone being arrested .

Lol.. No need to get defensive.. I said its a coincidence.. 6 hardcore LTTE arrested in Calcutta quite a way from their base in TN, Very next day they found the explosives and all this at the eve of Independence day celebrations..

Yeah lets wait and see how the investigations conclude

You mean the LTTE connection ?
That's an interesting thought...But why Kolkata ? You will find only Bengalis there who have nothing to do with any kind of conflict going on around the World..