Man with gelatine sticks held

PUDUKKOTTAI: A 45-year-old man was arrested by sleuths of the Pudukkottai Marine Police for possessing gelatine sticks for supply to fishermen here on Wednesday. Gelatine sticks are used by fishermen for blast fishing, which is banned.
G Arumugam, a resident of Samathuvapuram in Pudukkottai district, was detained by sleuths of the marine police, Pudukkottai, during a vehicle check near Meemisal as he possessed highly explosive 50 gelatine sticks as well as two pieces of 20-foot-long safety fuse wires.
According to Pudukkottai special branch inspector M Chezhian, he was on his way to Thondi in Sivaganga district by bus. As part of regular vigil on the coastal areas, marine police along with regular police conducted a vehicle check near Meemisal on Thursday morning. When they carried out a search in the bus, they found the explosive items with him. They seized the items and detained him for questioning. Initial investigations revealed that Arumugam was carrying them for supply to two fishermen in Thondi. He also said the gelatine sticks would be used for blast fishing.
Later, he was handed over to the Meemisal police and booked under Explosives Act. The inquiry was on till Wednesday night, but Arumugam was yet to disclose the names of the two fishermen for whom he carried the sticks and wires.
Arumugam is still in police custody. He will be produced in court on Friday morning, Chezhian said.