HYDERABAD: In the light of explosive material which was being transported under the guise of ‘harmless’ substances, the city police have written to Petroleum & Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) asking for suggestions on the ways to deal with the hazardous material. The police made the request as the field level cops are not trained to deal with high quantities of the explosive materials.
On Wednesday, a container belonging to a Bhongir-based manufacturing unit was seized as it was transporting a high quantity of hazardous material — Ammonium Nitrate labelled as Sodium Nitrate — from Bhongir to Madanapalle in Chittoor district of AP.
According to Koppula Sampath, a chemical researcher, Ammonium Nitrate would combust under extreme conditions of heat and pressure in a confined space and would trigger an explosion.
Acting on a tip-off, the Cyberabad police seized the container with 10 metric tonnes of Ammonium Nitrate, besides arresting three persons in connection with the case. During the investigation, the police found that the firm in Bhongir has a license to produce Ammonium Nitrate. However, SS Traders, the procuring firm, does not have a license to work with explosive material.