By Rajesh Saha: A huge contraband of explosive materials was recovered from a car in West Bengal’s Birbhum district on Thursday, a day ahead of Union Minister Amit Shah’s visit to the district on the eve of Bengali New Year.

According to locals, a Scorpio car was parked on a road side near a brick kiln next to Guslara bypass under Birbhum district since Wednesday. After no one came forward to claim ownership of the car, locals informed Murarai police about the car parked in a suspicious manner.

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A police team was dispatched to the spot and on searching the car, the team found 17 boxes each containing about 200 gelatin sticks. A bomb squad team was called to the spot to defuse the explosive, following which the Murari police seized the car. The Birbhum Police have launched a probe. However, no arrests have been made in the case so far.

In July last year, the West Bengal Special Task Force conducted a raid in Mahammad Bazaar area in Birbhum district and intercepted a pick-up van, which was allegedly transporting 81,000 detonators. Three people were nabbed initially in connection with the case. The police had claimed that the miscreants planned an explosion, but they foiled their plan.

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Following the huge recovery of explosive materials, the Union Home Ministry directed the NIA to carry out an investigation. After taking charge of investigation, the NIA arrested total five people in the case and the probe by the central agency is still underway. The NIA has taken cognisance of the recovery of another 3,400 gelatin sticks by the West Bengal police.

(With inputs from Santu Hazra from Birbhum)