4500 kilos of explosives meant for Maoists seized

GAYA: In a huge haul, about 45 quintals of explosives meant for Maoists were seized by the Special Task Force of Bihar police from two places in naxal-hit Gaya district early on Thursday.

Acting on a tip off, police raided a shop at Gaulakhshni area here and seized 29 gunny bags containing the explosives, Superintendent of Police S M Khopade said.

The STF also raided a house of Hari Yadav, suspected to be having links with ultras, under Delha police station and seized 70 sacks of explosive materials, mostly ammonium nitrate, Khopade said.

Each of the sacks contained 40 to 45 kg of explosives, he said, adding huge quantity of naxal literature was also recovered during the police operation.

The explosives were highly inflammable and forensic experts have been called from Patna to test the material, the SP added.

It is believed that the explosives were meant for the Maoists, who planned to use the material to disrupt the upcoming Assembly polls in neighbouring Jharkhand, official sources said.

The Bihar Police had earlier seized 30,000 live cartridges of .315 bore, two AK-47 rifles, four Insas rifles and a huge quantity of explosives from a house on November 10.

The STF had on November eight seized liquid explosives, 14 carbine-manufacturing equipment, two pistols, 7,221 live cartridges and 50 detonators from a place in the state capital.