Officials of the Excise Department posted at the Kumily check post seized 2,400 kg of ammonium nitrate from a national permit lorry coming from Salem in Tamil Nadu and arrested its driver on Sunday morning. An excise official posted there said that the driver Mohankumar,47,of Salem was arrested.
His helper and neighbour, Mamallan, however escaped, the official said and added that the item was meant to be delivered at Ranni in Pathanamtitta district. On questioning the driver he said that he did not know the address of the person to be given it but can identify him.
He also confessed that on one occasion, he had delivered the item to the same person passing through the Walayar check post.
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There were 50 packets of ammonium nitrate kept at a separate cabin in the lorry and except in two packets there was no mark that said that it was ammonium nitrate. The lorry was intercepted by 8 a.m. and on checking the documents, it was found lack of enough certificates for the lorry to allow the passage.
The check up on the border check posts have been intensified recently and the Excise Commissioner had given special direction to the officials to conduct thorough check up especially those vehicles that are found empty. The official said that the arrested was being questioned for more details and the purpose for which it was being carried to Ranni. Ammonium nitrate is used for blasting purposes in quarries and it can also be misused by the anti-social elements and the militants, he said.