Maharashtra: 1,000 gelatin sticks, detonators seized near Mumbai, 3 suspects arrested

Three people allegedly with 1,000 gelatin sticks and an equal number of detonators were arrested on Tuesday from Bhiwandi in Maharashtra's Thane. According to the police, they acted on a tip of and stopped the car near Mumbai's Nadi Naka at 3 pm and seized the products. The three accused have been identified as Alpesh alias Balya Hiraji Patil (34), Pankaj Acchelal Chouhan (23) and Sameer @ Samya Ramchandra Vedga (27), all residents of Vikramgad in neighbouring Palghar district, an official said.

The police initiated the investigation and a preliminary probe showed that they had stolen the explosives and were planning to sell them. A case has been registered with the Nizampura police under IPC and Explosives Act provisions. 

12,000 explosive gelatin sticks & 3000 detonators seized near Mumbai

In May 2021, the Thane Police had seized an alarming cache of nearly 12,000 gelatin sticks from the Karivali area in Bhiwandi. Acting on a tip-off, a team of Thane Police's Crime Branch Unit had raided the premises of a firm dealing in building materials, seized 63 boxes containing 12,000 units of the explosive material and four boxes with 3,008 detonators.

This had come forward months after an explosive-laden Scorpio was found outside billionaire Mukhesh Ambani's Mumbai residence. During that time, the police had also arrested one accused identified as Gurunath Mhatre, in connection with the matter. As per the police's initial report, Mhatre did not hold any legal documents to justify his possession of the said gelatin sticks. Notably, the Thane Police has made another arrest in the case as it nabbed an individual who was allegedly supplying explosives to Gurunath Mhatre. He is set to be produced before the Bhiwandi court on Wednesday. 

(With PTI inputs)