Despite several terror alerts in the past few months, mystery shrouds the disappearance of 35 explosives, including ammonia nitrates and detonators, from police custody at Silvassa, barely 190 km from Mumbai.
Despite several terror alerts in the past few months, mystery shrouds the disappearance of 35 explosives, including ammonia nitrates and detonators, from police custody at Silvassa, barely 190 km from Mumbai.
The cause of concern is that the corridor from Silvassa to Mumbai through the thick forests of Thane district is the breeding grounds of Naxal activities.
There is a strong possibility that the explosives may end up in the wrong hands and could be used in the city, said police sources.
Special Inspector General of Konkan Range Param Bir Singh agreed that the areas adjoining Silvassa has a strong presence of naxal sympathisers.
However, there is very little to link them to the main hub of naxal activities in Maharashtra ruling out an armed struggle. The Ministry of Home affairs has ordered a high-level inquiry into the missing explosives.
While investigators were unable to make any headway in the probe, the explosives that were in the custody of the police went missing mysteriously. There are strong reasons to suspect that some tainted policemen are supporting the naxals, police sources pointed out.
Inspector General of Police Muktesh Chandra was not available for comments despite repeated efforts yesterday. He did not reply to a text message.
Social activist Jitendra Maru, who filed a RTI seeking details about the missing explosives has yet to get a reply from the district administration at Silvassa. "Everyone wants to bury the incident," remarked Maru.
Local sources informed that anti-social elements in Silvassa, many having links with naxal groups, have been operating from the reserve forests adjoining the tiny Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli. They are involved in rampant illegal mining and poaching in the area.
A senior police officer pointed out that a thorough probe could lead to the source of the explosives. It is very likely that the suppliers could have terror links.
Ammonia nitrate, Gelatine sticks and detonators laced with high explosives like RDX and SEMTEX have been used in carrying out almost all the blasts like 7/11, Malegaon blast and Mulund train blasts in the past.
The jungles in Silvassa are contiguously connected by a forest corridor to villages like Padga and Borivali, known for terror links. The Ahmedabad-Mumbai highway connects to suburbs like Mira Road, where some of the terrorists were holed up recently.
Arms cache
A huge cache of 35 detonators, gelatin sticks and large quantity of ammonia nitrate were seized from Umarkui and Sayli village in Silvassa on May 20.
The Mamlatdar asked the local police to investigate into the matter after the explosives were found in a huge cavity near a famous resort.
The local police at Silvassa filed a FIR No 0033 (copy with MiD DAY) against an unknown suspect. The explosives were taken into custody for further investigations at the behest of the Collector Sanjay Goel.
Goel was not available for comments despite repeated calls. He did not respond to a text message yesterday.
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