07-15-2006, 09:44 PM
From Pioneer
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Biggest explosive haul in Bengal leads to Mumbai </b>
Saugar Sengupta | Kolkata
<b>The decision of the West Bengal police not to reveal the biggest-ever seizure of explosives in the State </b>just a week before the Mumbai blasts took place has raised eyebrows in administrative and political circles here. The police have now woken up to probe if the consignment had any link with Mumbai blasts.
<b>The explosives were apparently transported from Mumbai to Kolkata, just a week before the Mumbai serial blasts but the seizure was not revealed in the wake of the blasts. </b>The State Intelligence department is now investigating different aspects of the incident, including its links with the terrorists who masterminded blasts in Mumbai.
The State Criminal Investigation Department has foiled an attempt to trigger yet another human carnage "most probably in a big city like Kolkata" by seizing a sack full of explosives weighing 35 kg and detonators from a house in Birbhum district neighbouring Jharkhand, senior police officials said. Following a tip off, the sleuths intercepted the consignment that contained 1000 gelatine sticks and 400 detonators police said adding they are in the look out for a man called Madhu who had either sent the sack or was scheduled to pick it up from the house. The consignment was transported via road from Mumbai to Kolkata from where it found its way to Birbhum, IG, CID DP Tarenia said.
"This is one of the biggest hauls in the recent times," Tarenia said. "The explosives were capable of raising to rubble big concrete structures like public buildings and bridges," he maintained. On whether this was meant to trigger blasts of similar intensity as that in Mumbai, he said the police were trying to ascertain whether more such consignments had been dispatched. The State has been on high alert following Tuesday's Mumbai blasts that claimed more than 200 lives.
Though the police do not rule out a Naxalite hand - as the sack was seized from Bengal Jharkhand border -for now they are attaching more importance to the Islamic terrorist angle, sources said. The police were as well trying to ascertain whether Madhu had a SIMI background.
<b>Meanwhile, contradictory statements emanated from the State administration with Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee claiming that SIMI was not operating in West Bengal while Home Secretary PR Ray said that the police had been raiding the possible hideouts of the SIMI operatives.</b>
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Biggest explosive haul in Bengal leads to Mumbai </b>
Saugar Sengupta | Kolkata
<b>The decision of the West Bengal police not to reveal the biggest-ever seizure of explosives in the State </b>just a week before the Mumbai blasts took place has raised eyebrows in administrative and political circles here. The police have now woken up to probe if the consignment had any link with Mumbai blasts.
<b>The explosives were apparently transported from Mumbai to Kolkata, just a week before the Mumbai serial blasts but the seizure was not revealed in the wake of the blasts. </b>The State Intelligence department is now investigating different aspects of the incident, including its links with the terrorists who masterminded blasts in Mumbai.
The State Criminal Investigation Department has foiled an attempt to trigger yet another human carnage "most probably in a big city like Kolkata" by seizing a sack full of explosives weighing 35 kg and detonators from a house in Birbhum district neighbouring Jharkhand, senior police officials said. Following a tip off, the sleuths intercepted the consignment that contained 1000 gelatine sticks and 400 detonators police said adding they are in the look out for a man called Madhu who had either sent the sack or was scheduled to pick it up from the house. The consignment was transported via road from Mumbai to Kolkata from where it found its way to Birbhum, IG, CID DP Tarenia said.
"This is one of the biggest hauls in the recent times," Tarenia said. "The explosives were capable of raising to rubble big concrete structures like public buildings and bridges," he maintained. On whether this was meant to trigger blasts of similar intensity as that in Mumbai, he said the police were trying to ascertain whether more such consignments had been dispatched. The State has been on high alert following Tuesday's Mumbai blasts that claimed more than 200 lives.
Though the police do not rule out a Naxalite hand - as the sack was seized from Bengal Jharkhand border -for now they are attaching more importance to the Islamic terrorist angle, sources said. The police were as well trying to ascertain whether Madhu had a SIMI background.
<b>Meanwhile, contradictory statements emanated from the State administration with Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee claiming that SIMI was not operating in West Bengal while Home Secretary PR Ray said that the police had been raiding the possible hideouts of the SIMI operatives.</b>
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