Police suspect extremists’ link

ANGAMALY: The explosives, which were sourced reportedly from Ernakulam and transported to various destinations in Thrissur district, are suspected as being distributed in different quantities across the state, according to reliable sources.

Apart from the explosives unearthed from Thrissur, the police have also unearthed a network that frequently transports explosive components to ‘desired’ destinations.

They are closely linked with extremist wings, said a highly placed official in the department.

Confirming the terrorist link, the consignment seized from Mattannoor last week had contained a set of leaflets bearing ample signs of involvement of a Pak-based terrorist wing.

Earlier, the military intelligence had also traced the presence of terrorists attempting to form a base in northern Kerala.

“The detonators and gelatin sticks are the ‘essential and sufficient’ components to mould up a powerful explosive devise. If properly confined to a socket, these can be converted into deadly weapons. Such weapons were used in Beypore and Kozhikode blasts,” told SP M.Wahab to ‘this website’s newspaper’.

The intelligence wing of the state police had sniffed out the operations of ‘explosive agencies,’ which import blasting devices to the state from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

A major portion of the imported consignment goes safely to the licensed godowns in the state. These include the godowns of quarry owners and other licensees.

According to the investigating sleuths, the apathy in permitting licences and the subsequent fault in the periodical renewal of licences are the main roadblocks for the police while tackling the flow of explosives to the state.

“The present condition prevailing in the state helps antisocial elements to avail themselves of explosives as per their demand. This needs to be viewed with utmost concern as it will pose a threat to the state,” said Wahab