Thirty-two tonnes of ammonium nitrate and 20 detonators and 20 gelatin rods were seized from a truck in Obra area of Sonbhadra on Friday. The explosives were supplied from Raipur district of Chhattisgarh.

While the driver and the cleaner of the truck have been arrested and sent to the jail, Rajkumar Patel, who had to receive the consignment, is absconding.

In another major recovery, the police had seized 21 quintals of ammonium nitrate in Mirzapur nearly a month ago.

The IB intervened after it came to know that officials of none of the districts concerned ever tried to visit the places in Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh from where the explosives were sent.

The senior IB officials were an annoyed lot, as a report from the Varanasi unit of the agency stated that the police officials were satisfied believing that the explosives were supplied to the contractors involved in illegal mining.

Sonbhadra Superintendent of Police Ram Kumar said, “ Ammonium nitrate was probably meant to be used for detonating boulders in the area. Local contractors purchase the explosives illegally, as they are allowed to use gelatin rods only for detonation that too after procuring a licence. They use ammonium nitrate to save time and the labour.”

The IB report, however, point out that the huge quantity of explosives seized could not have been use for mining. The officials believe that the ammonium nitrate was being supplied to some other area, requiring an extensive probe.  

IB sources revealed that the suppliers in two states, Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh, were aware of the persons involved in the trade and the state intelligence unit has provided some vital clues, which would help ascertain their identity.

Superintendent of Police Mirzapur, Dr Preetinder Singh said: “Twenty one quintals of ammonium nitrate recovered last month was sent from a wholesale shop—JS Chemicals of Sonbhadra. The shopowner is absconding and the inquiry revealed that he was not authorised to store or sell such a huge quantity. His arrest would help tracing the kingpin behind the trade.”