Explosive-laden truck seized in Chhattisgarh's Maoist-affected district

An explosive-laden truck was seized and its driver was arrested in Chhattisgarh's Maoist-affected Kabirdham district, police said on Wednesday. During checking of vehicles in view of Lok Sabha elections, the truck was intercepted in front of Kukdur police station late on Tuesday night, Superintendent of Police Lal Umed Singh said.

A huge consignment of explosives, weighing 7.4 tons, was found in the vehicle, following which it was seized for non-compliance of safety standards during transportation through a Maoist-affected area at night, he said.

The seized items included 80 boxes (2,000 kg) of `Neo-Gel' explosive and 76 boxes (1,900 kg) of `Shakti Gel' explosive, he said.

The truck driver, Rakesh Vaishnav (35), the native of Bhilwada in Rajasthan, allegedly told the police that the consignment was being transported from a factory of Special Blast Limited, located at Pirda in Raipur district, to Jai Maa Vindhyawasni Enterprises based in Allahabad (Prayagraj), Singh said.

Further probe was on.