Transporters under scanner in Chhattisgarh for alleged Naxal aid

Transporters have come under the scanner of security agencies in Chhattisgarh for allegedly bringing consignment meant for the banned Naxalites outfit.

The Kolkata and Raipur police late yesterday night and on Monday morning raided the premises of two transporters after getting inputs that they were involved in transporting goods for the Naxalites. The security personnel seized a huge quantity of materials reportedly meant for manufacturing rocket launchers and grenades.

“The raid at Pal Goods Transport godown was carried out late Sunday night while police struck at the campus of Preeti Roadlines on Monday morning,” Senior Superintendent of Police Deepanshu Kaabra said. The preliminary investigation suggested that the materials seized had the use in making sophisticated weapons like rocket launchers and grenades, he added.

The police recovered 75 wooden boxes containing bolts and pipes from the premises of Pal Transport company while small motors used for assembling parts were recovered from on Monday’s raid. The employees working in both the transport companies have been detained for interrogation.

The officials investigating the matter said that the consignment was booked from Kolkata while it was not clear to whom it was supposed to be delivered. The consignment was in fact booked in the name of a person in Siltara industrial area. The Raipur police were trying to track the person on whose name the goods were booked.

The officials said the materials seized resemble the parts used in manufacturing rocket launchers and grenades. It was not clear whether the parts were supposed to be assembled here or it would have been sent to the interior areas of Bastar where the Naxalites have their sway.

The raid on transporters came on the basis of tip off provided by the Naxalites nabbed in Kolkata recently in a joint operation of Andhra Pradesh’s Greyhound and West Bengal Police.

The police officials hinted that they were keeping a close watch on the transporters in wake of the development.