Cops seek nitrate sale control

RANCHI: Ammonium nitrate that was used in last Wednesday's serial blasts in Mumbai has been widely used by the CPI (Maoist) in making lethal improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in Jharkhand as the chemical is considered cheap and easily available in market.
However, police officers here have been demanding for long that there should be a mechanism to regulate the flow of ammonium nitrate so that the substance can be prevented from falling into the hands of rebels.
Since the inception of the state, over 400 security personnel have been killed in the state in Naxalite violence. Of them, around 200 have died of IEDs blasts triggered by Maoists.Recoveries made in Red bastions in the past one decade have also proved that in 80 per cent of the total devices ammonium nitrate is used as the common explosive material, which when mixed with engine oil and triggered by detonators, becomes a powerful weapon for the rebels.
Till date, security forces in the state are groping in the dark and face uphill task to detect and neutralize the IEDs containing ammonium nitrate in its explosive mixture.
The IEDs, which either surface in the name can bombs, claymore mines, sensor bombs or even radio sensor bombs in the rebel hotbeds, have ammonium nitrate common as their explosive material.
The choice of ammonium nitrate by the rebels is evident as the chemical is commonly used by farmers who mix it with urea in their fields. The substance, readily available in every fertilizer shop in any town, is also used extensively in the dyeing units.
Jharkhand police spokesperson R K Mallick, also the IG (operation), admits that it is difficult for police to prevent the chemical from being used by the rebels because of the free availability of the substance. "We have often raised the issue of regulating the sale of the chemical at the state and central level," he said.
"If some changes are made in the existing laws or some new laws are framed under which some restrictions are imposed on ammonium nitrate, it can be regulated," said Mallick. "Since it is not a banned substance till now as it is used in farming, police are unable to take any action against its hoarders," said Mallick. Recently, the security forces busted the headquarters of Koel Sankh zone of Maoists at Gotag in Latehar district in which 25 varieties of chemicals were found in huge quantity. The maximum quantity of the chemicals was of ammonium nitrate which was to be used in making IEDs.