Huge cache of explosives recovered in Allahabad

Lucknow, Oct 19 (IANS) Over 150 kg of explosives was recovered in a raid on an unlicensed fire cracker unit on the outskirts of Allahabad, police said Sunday.

The raid was conducted late Saturday in the Mau Aima suburbs where nearly 400 families are engaged in making fire crackers.

'Besides raw material, we also seized a truck-load of manufactured and semi-manufactured fire crackers and crude bombs,' inspector Abdul Halim told IANS.

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However, four persons, whom the police has named in its FIR as the main accused, managed to flee.

'We are looking for Nadeem, Saeed, Farooq and Jaheer,' Halim said.

'According to our records, there are only 18 valid fire crackers manufacturing license holders in this town and the others are illegally carrying out the business,' Halim added.

'We are worried by the huge catch and the Local Intelligence Unit has been asked to gather more information about the entire illegal business,' Allahabad Superintendent of Police Lalji Shukla told reporters.

According to intelligence sources, a list of over 400 residents suspected to be involved in terror activities has also been prepared recently and the police are looking for them.

A joint team of the Anti Terror Squad and the police also raided the town in September to look for terror suspects shortly after the serial blasts in Jaipur, Ahmedabad and New Delhi.

However, no one was arrested and since then, the town is on the radar of the police and intelligence agencies.

Allahabad is about 200 km from Lucknow.