A huge cache of explosives, consisting of gelatine sticks, detonators, has been seized in Valancherry, Malappuram; Police has taken four people into custody. They were found in an unauthorised granite quarry. 1124 gelatine sticks, 4000 detonators, 3340 electric detonators, 1820 safety fuses are the materials seized by the Police. The picture is not clear about the purpose of the shipment. Four were caught based on the confidential information the Malappuram District Police Chief got.
Apart from the Valancherry haul, another pile has been seized from the house of Swamidasan in Naduvattom, Palakkad, who usually delivers explosives to quarries. Swamidasan, quarry workers Shafi, Unnikrishnan and Ravi are the four men in custody. They are being interrogated. Swamidasan is reported to be the supplier of explosives to quarries.
Primary raid was carried out in the quarry at Valancherry. When the workers were taken into custody from there, consequently, the inquiry was extended to Swamidasan’s house in Palakkad. More explosives were found there. Police reportedly told the media that the explosives found in his house were unauthorised.
Further investigations alone will reveal clear picture. Then only it will be clear if there is any terror angle. Even otherwise, unauthorised quarries have been serious threats to the environment of the hilly districts in the state. In almost all cases, they get the alleged patronage of political bigwigs. Environmentalists and right thinking people have been agitating against illegal quarries since long.
