Vijayawada: Martur police in Bapatla district seized explosives worth Rs 20 lakh and arrested two individuals for illegal possession and transport.
Acting on credible information, police raided a godown near Nagarajupalli on Saturday night and uncovered 7.5 tonnes of gelatine sticks, electrical and ordinary detonators, and detonator fuse wires.
The godown belongs to one Midala Naga Venugopal, whose licence to stock explosives had expired on March 31. According to police, Venugopal was sourcing the explosives from a private company near Keesara in Telangana’s Medchal Malkajgiri district and supplying them to granite quarry operators and stone crushers, without valid licences.
Investigation revealed that on Friday, Dasam Hanumantha Rao, Dasam Veeranjaneyulu, and Nagandla Prasanna had loaded the explosives at Keesara. Venugopal, along with Hanumantha Rao and Veeranjaneyulu, with plans to sell the stock to a man named Pratap Reddy with the help of a middleman, Battula Sambashiva Rao. The explosives were reportedly intended for sale not only to licensed and unlicensed quarry operators but also to individuals outside the industry, which raised serious security concerns.
Police suspected that the illegal supply chain has been operating for a long time.
“If such large quantities of explosives fall into the hands of anti-social elements, it could pose a grave danger to the public safety,” officials said.
The cops recorded the statements of Hanumantha Rao and Veeranjaneyulu. A case was registered and the duo was arrested. Moreover, the lorry used to transport the explosives was seized.
Home minister Vangalapudi Anitha ordered a thorough investigation, including possible links to past explosions in Vinukonda (2023) and Ballikurava during the local body elections. Police are also probing the possibility of a political conspiracy behind the illegal storage and distribution network.
Acting on credible information, police raided a godown near Nagarajupalli on Saturday night and uncovered 7.5 tonnes of gelatine sticks, electrical and ordinary detonators, and detonator fuse wires.
The godown belongs to one Midala Naga Venugopal, whose licence to stock explosives had expired on March 31. According to police, Venugopal was sourcing the explosives from a private company near Keesara in Telangana’s Medchal Malkajgiri district and supplying them to granite quarry operators and stone crushers, without valid licences.
Investigation revealed that on Friday, Dasam Hanumantha Rao, Dasam Veeranjaneyulu, and Nagandla Prasanna had loaded the explosives at Keesara. Venugopal, along with Hanumantha Rao and Veeranjaneyulu, with plans to sell the stock to a man named Pratap Reddy with the help of a middleman, Battula Sambashiva Rao. The explosives were reportedly intended for sale not only to licensed and unlicensed quarry operators but also to individuals outside the industry, which raised serious security concerns.
Police suspected that the illegal supply chain has been operating for a long time.
“If such large quantities of explosives fall into the hands of anti-social elements, it could pose a grave danger to the public safety,” officials said.
The cops recorded the statements of Hanumantha Rao and Veeranjaneyulu. A case was registered and the duo was arrested. Moreover, the lorry used to transport the explosives was seized.
Home minister Vangalapudi Anitha ordered a thorough investigation, including possible links to past explosions in Vinukonda (2023) and Ballikurava during the local body elections. Police are also probing the possibility of a political conspiracy behind the illegal storage and distribution network.
