Police in Kerala have seized a pick-up van carrying a large consignment of explosives near Palakkad town, raising serious safety concerns in the region.
An officer from the Palakkad Town South police station said more than 100 boxes of gelatin sticks and over 20 boxes of detonators were recovered from the vehicle. He said the explosives were hidden under a load of watermelons, and the seizure took place late on Wednesday night near the Palakkad Medical College area.
“The boxes of explosives were concealed beneath watermelons. The recovery was made during a late-night vehicle inspection,” the police officer said.
The driver of the vehicle, identified as Santhil, has been taken into custody. During preliminary questioning, he told the police that the explosives were loaded from Coimbatore and were being transported to a quarry in Thrissur.
The officer said the police had received prior information that a large quantity of explosives was being illegally brought into the state. Following this, special vehicle checks were carried out in the area.
“When the police asked the driver to stop, he did not comply. The vehicle was then chased and intercepted,” the officer said.
Police officials said a case will be registered against the driver under the Explosive Substances Act once the formal seizure process is completed.
According to the police, the initial investigation suggests that the explosives were intended for use in quarrying operations. Officials added that similar cases of illegal transportation of explosives have been reported earlier as well.
“A detailed investigation is underway to find out how the explosives were moved without proper permissions and whether others are involved,” the officer said.
