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RDX used in bombs: police
The explosives used in the Mumbai train bombings included ingredients like RDX, ammonium nitrate and fuel oil, police say even as they continue searching slums and hotels.
- IANS
- Published: 00:00 July 17, 2006
Mumbai: The explosives used in the Mumbai train bombings included ingredients like RDX, ammonium nitrate and fuel oil, police said yesterday even as they continued searching slums, hotels and guesthouses for suspects and roped in retired and even suspended officers to help.
The police also prepared sketches of about 50 blast suspects based on descriptions by eyewitnesses present at different stations on the day of the blasts July 11.
"Forensic reports have revealed the use of RDX, ammonium nitrate and fuel oil in making the sophisticated bombs in the seven blasts," Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) chief Krish Pal Raghuvanshi said.
"Assistance was taken from the National Security Guard and the Central Forensic Science Laboratory in Hyderabad and we have come to this conclusion," he said.
A white crystalline solid, RDX is usually used to trigger powerful explosions as it is stable in storage and is required in lesser quantities.
Meanwhile, to give more teeth to its investigation, the ATS, which is drawing help from all units of the state and city police, is bringing in gunfight specialists and officers no longer in service.
These include suspended police officers like Sachin Vaze and Daya Nayak, a trigger-happy assistant sub inspector who gained notoriety as an "encounter specialist" and was alleged to have underworld connections.
It also includes assistant commissioner of police (ACP) Vinod Bhatt, who was part of the team that cracked the 1993 serial blasts case, deputy commissioner of police (DCP) Naval Bajaj and "encounter" specialist, inspector Vijay Salaskar.
Thirty-three officers from the Mumbai crime branch are aiding the investigations too.
"We are seeking help of the retired police officers," Raghuvanshi said.
While the ATS ropes in all kinds of experts, hundreds of people, mostly slum dwellers, have been questioned and dozens detained since the blasts on commuter trains and platforms that killed 182 people and wounded 800.
Investigators said the blast perpetrators had planted the bombs at Churchgate station and used an underpass at the station to escape.
"Investigations at this point suggest that at least three bombs were planted at the Churchgate station from where the ill-fated commuter trains had originated. Timer devices were used to detonate the bombs in 20 minutes," said an investigating officer.
"The bombers used one of the underpasses at the station closest to the first class compartments to escape."
Mumbai police chief A.N. Roy said hundreds of people had been questioned, but most had been allowed to go, having satisfied police they were not involved in the blasts.
"We haven't arrested anyone yet but there are some people whom we have held," Roy said. Police said they were also scanning people who had returned from the Gulf region in the last one year and returned after staying there for a short stint.
"There are leads. Some are still being pursued, some have yielded no results," added a senior police officer.
"The raids will continue. Muslim-dominated areas are under our scanner. But no formal arrests have been made so far," he said.
Sources said central security agencies had picked up some people, including key suspects, along the Indo-Nepal border.
Though neither the Mumbai police nor the security agencies were willing to comment on the detentions, an ATS officer said "a few people have been detained along the Indo-Nepal border and they would be soon brought to Mumbai for interrogation".
"They are believed have had a role in organising, engineering and had an active participation in the blast on the fateful day," he added.
The government was hopeful of a breakthrough within a week.
"We believe police will be able to zero in on the culprits within a week," Maharashtra Chief Secretary D.K. Shankaran told reporters yesterday.
"Police have been doing combing operations and I believe we do have some information from those detained that should be able to give us some concrete leads," Shankaran said.
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