500 kg ammonium nitrate seized in Karnataka

Authorities have seized 500 kg ammonium nitrate, used recently to carry out blasts in the Karnataka capital, from Kolar district of the state, officials said.

The huge seizure of the chemical, widely used to make explosives, was made Thursday by a Election Commission appointed flying squad deployed to check illegal activities in the run up to the May 5 polls in the state, they said.

The team seized 25 bags, each containing 20 kg ammonium nitrate, and arrested one person named Mehboob from Kolar district.

The police is probing the case now.

The bags show that the chemical was made in South Korea, a senior official said.

Bangalore had witnessed blasts on April 17 which injured 16 people, including 11 policemen, and security agencies had concluded that nitrate compounds were used.

Meanwhile, the EC-appointed teams also seized over Rs 11 crore cash and 49,000 litres of liquor in the poll-bound state.

The special teams have also seized other items worth Rs 3.76 crore after they were suspected to be used to lure voters, a source said.

"The total cash seizure till now is Rs 11.80 crore, while a total of 49,132 litres of illegal liquor have been seized in the poll-bound state," he said.       

EC has deputed a team of Income Tax department officers and other state government officials along with state police to keep a tab on illegal cash, liquor and inducements suspected to be used in the state.

Photograph: Reuters