Man with 8 kg ammonium nitrate held at Sealdah

A day after the Republic Day, Railway Police arrested one person with eight kilograms of ammonium nitrate (an oxidising agent used for making explosives) from Sealdah station.

Identified as Jalal Ali (30) from Murshidabad’s Lalbah area, the person during interrogation admitted that he was supposed to deliver the consignment to someone at Baghajatin area in south Kolkata.

“Acting on a tip off, we arrested him as soon as he alighted from Down Lalgola Passenger at the Sealdah station on Monday morning. We recovered eight kilos of suspected explosive substance (white power-based materials) from him,” Superintendent of Railway Police Utpal Naskar said.

When asked what the nature of the explosive was, Naskar said, “Initial investigation revealed it is ammonium nitrate- an oxidising agent mainly used for low intensity blasts but it has been sent to the forensic laboratory for tests. Until the final reports come we cannot say with certainty”.

The police said they are investigating the possibility of Jalal’s link with any terror outfit. “We can’t say anything since the investivation is on going. But we can say to the extent that he wasn’t a mere carrier. He has some more contacts as well,” sources said.