3 arrested for illegal possession of explosives worth ₹13 lakh

Navi Mumbai: Three persons were arrested on Sunday for illegal possession of around 1500 kgs of gelatine and 70 kilos of electric detonators and other materials worth ₹13 lakh in Alibaug.

The accused are Shavkram Gopaldas Jat, Vitthal Rathod, and Rajesh Yadav.

Rajendra Patil of Mangaon police station received a tip-off about a Bolero tempo carrying explosives. Patil and his team laid a trap near Shanjampur Road in the morning, and found a white Bolero Tempo on Saturday.

The team then asked the driver for his details and he identified himself as Shavkram Gopaldas Jat, 26, a native of Rajasthan and is currently living near Pune.

After checking the tempo, the team found four boxes of electric detonators worth ₹90,800 and 50 boxes of gelatin cartridges worth ₹1,70,000.

“During questioning, he told police that he is selling these materials to customers who do not have a license,” said a police officer. “Jat himself did not have a license for the same explosives.”

Jat revealed two more people in this business, Vitthal Rathod and Rajesh Yadav, who were arrested from Pen and Pali.

“From both, we found 400 kg gelatine and detonators in boxes. The arrested accused did not reveal the source from where they got these explosives in huge quantities and whom they were going to sell. We have remanded them in custody and seized their vehicles for further investigation,” added the officer.

The accused have been arrested under sections 286, 34 of the Indian Penal Code and section 9 of the Explosive Substances Act 1984.