Huge haul of explosives in Varanasi

Days after an alert was sounded by the Intelligence Bureau (IB), 145 kg of ammonium nitrate was recovered from a vehicle in the communally-sensitive Varanasi town of Uttar Pradesh on Saturday.

According to the police, the explosives, stuffed in three bags, were recovered from a Maruti car bearing Varanasi registration number, during routine checking at the Lanka area. 

The driver and another person, who were in the vehicle, however, managed to escape.

The spot from where the explosives were recovered is not very far from the famous Sankat Mochan temple, where a blast occurred a few years ago killing several people.

Smuggled?

Police do not rule out the possibility of explosives being smuggled to militants in Maoist-infested Gaya district of Bihar, which is not far from Varanasi. A massive manhunt has been launched to nab the two accused and police teams have visited nearby districts. Checkposts have also been erected throughout the town and intensive checking was being conducted. 

Police were ascertaining whether the vehicle registration number is genuine or fake. The owner of the vehicle is being contacted.