10,000 kg explosives seized in Rajasthan on Republic Day eve, 1 arrested

Rajasthan Police seized nearly 10,000 kg of explosive material and arrested a man during a late-night operation at a deserted farmhouse in Nagaur district, just ahead of Republic Day. The recovery has triggered heightened security concerns and exposed what officials believe is a large illegal explosives supply network linked to mining activities.

The accused, identified as Suleman Khan, was arrested from Harsaur village under the Thawla police station area following a coordinated raid by the district special team and local police. Acting on specific intelligence inputs, officers searched the farmhouse and discovered the explosives stored across four separate rooms, apparently to evade detection.

During the operation, police recovered 187 sacks of ammonium nitrate weighing around 9,550 kg, along with detonators, detonator wires and other explosive accessories. The seized items included cartons of blue and red fuse wires, detonators and additional explosive components used in blasting activities.

Preliminary interrogation revealed that the explosives were allegedly being supplied to individuals involved in illegal mining operations. Police said the seized consignment is valued at several crores in the illegal market. Investigators also confirmed that the accused has three prior criminal cases registered against him, with two still under trial.

A case has been registered under provisions of the Explosives Act, the Explosive Substances Act and relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The accused has been remanded to police custody as investigations continue to trace the source of the explosives and identify other members of the network.