The Hindu : Bunkers containing chemical explosives unearthed

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Aug 13, 2002

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Bunkers containing chemical explosives unearthed

By Shujaat Bukhari

Police personnel inspecting the chemical explosives which they seized in central Kashmir on Monday. Police claimed that the explosives were meant to disrupt the Assembly elections and the Independence Day celebrations. — Photo: Nissar Ahmad.

WATHOORA (BUDGAM) AUG. 12 . The Budgam police today averted a major tragedy by unearthing a number of bunkers in which high intensity chemical explosives were stored.

On a specific information the Budgam police led by the Superntendent of Police, Syed Ashiq Hussain Bukhari, raided a house in this locality and found three underground bunkers. It took police several hours to dig the concrete bunkers. One was discovered after the toilet was demolished. For reaching the other two, the policemen had to dig the entire floor. They finally recovered 14 barrels of hydrogen peroxide, one barrel of carbon tetrachloride, 98 cans of sulphuric acid, 128 bottles of nitric acid and 49 kg of RDX.

The DIG, Kashmir range, Farooq Ahmed, who supervised the operation said the explosives recovered were sufficient to bring down several buildings and cause damage in an area of over 10 km. "They were to be used for disrupting the coming Assembly elections and the Independence Day celebrations,'' he said. One person was arrested from the house and he is being interrogated. Police said the house was purchased and owned by a militant organisation and the papers recovered were in the name of a person who "does not exist''.

A cheque book was also recovered which, police believe, would give information on the funding channels for militancy.

Sources said the hideout was of the Hizbul Mujahideen outfit but involvement of other organisations cannot be ruled out. Reports said that another bunkers was also unearthed and recovery of more explosive material was on.

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