Maharashtra: Two held for possessing gelatin sticks, detonators in Raigad
A cache of explosives, including gelatin sticks and detonators, was seized from Maharashtra's Raigad district and two people were arrested in this connection, a police official said. Around 46 gelatin sticks, some detonators, and other materials were seized yesterday after a raid at the house of Mohammad Umar Jahir Kazi at Dhalghar village in Mangaon tehsil of Raigad district adjoining Mumbai, he said.
Police suspect explosives were meant for illegal fishing activity
It is suspected that the explosives were meant for illegal fishing activity, the official said. Kazi, 48, was arrested following the seizure, he said. On further inputs, one more person, who used to sell these explosives to Kazi, was arrested from Maharashtra's Ratnagiri district.
Police conducted raids while investigating a recent blast case
Some fishermen were injured recently in a blast while they were engaged in fishing activity in the Arabian Sea, Raigad Superintendent of Police, Anil Paraskar, said. While investigating the case, police got information about Kazi and another person who was selling these explosives illegally for fishing activity, he said. Accordingly, raids were conducted and the two men were nabbed, he said.
Blast fishing is an illegal practice
"The two persons are arrested under the Explosives Act and the Explosive Substances Act," Paraskar said, adding that a probe was underway. Blast fishing or dynamite fishing is an illegal practice of using explosives to stun or kill fish for easy collection.
