Want explosives? Come to AP

HYDERABAD: Explosives come cheap and easy in the state. Any one can walk into a mining area and buy a gelatin stick for Rs 25 and a detonator for Rs 5. No questions asked.
Therefore, it''s hardly surprising that Lashkar-e-Tayyeba militant Abdul Rahman Aydeed, alias Naseer, bought explosives from Hyderabad for the Mumbai blasts on Aug 25. And if the police believe that the People''s War used gelatin procured within the state while trying to kill Chandrababu Naidu, they have a good reason to believe so.
There are only about 600 licence holders in the state authorised to store and use explosives in mining and quarrying, government sources said.But in reality, at least 100 persons or firms are involved in mining activity in each district. The number of individuals or firms carrying out mining in the state can be put roughly at 2,300, a source in the office of the controller of explosives told The Times of India. These mining operations constitute a huge unmonitored source of explosives in the state, often exploited by extremists outfits such as the People''s War.
Over the years, the mines have become PW''s main source for gelatin sticks, which it modifies to make its weapons of war — landmines, claymore mines, directional mines and hand grenades.
It is very easy for the PW to transport the gelatin (95 parts nitroglycerin and 5 parts collodion). Usually, the explosive material is moulded into the form of sticks. Otherwise, it is just a paste that resembles chutney. So police cannot easily identify the gelatin it it is removed from its casing. Naxalites have to replenish their gelatin stocks frequently, even if they do not use their munitions for combat.
The chemical composition of the material alters over a period of time and it loses its explosive nature, sources said. So the naxalites have to replace the gelatin in its grenades and mines regularly.