A National Security Guard (NSG) squad examines the private lodge in Patna after 100kg of explosives were recovered.

Agencies/Patna


Bomb disposal squads from Delhi and Kolkota were sent to Bihar yesterday after police seized around 100kg of explosives believed to be from leftwing Maoist rebels.
Police made the find on Thursday at a residential locality on the outskirts of the state capital Patna.
“In all over 100kg of explosives were recovered,” Sudhir Kumar Podika, Patna city superintendent of police, said.
“These bombs, believed to have been brought into the city by the People’s Liberation Front of India (PLFI), were of moderate to high intensity,” he added.
Police said they had to call in teams from the elite National Security Guard (NSG) in New Delhi and from the eastern city of Kolkota to ensure there were no explosions in the residential area where the devices were recovered.
Podika said they made the find after an “intelligence tip-off” from police in neighbouring Jharkhand state.
“In all, we recovered 12 improvised explosive devices, 52 timer devices, 10kg of ammonium nitrate, two sensors, seven remotes and 100 electric detonators from the lodge in a residential area,” the officer added.
Police have yet to arrest anyone in connection with the explosives. Sources said the lodge is owned by Rampravesh Rai alias Netaji. As a precautionary step, occupants of the lodge have been asked to leave the building.
“In preliminary investigations, we have found that five-six boys were currently staying at the lodge and all of them used expensive bikes,” said a police source, adding it was too early to jump to any conclusion on their involvement in the crime.
Patna witnessed a similar incident at Bahadurpur Housing colony in April when three live bombs were recovered. Three men with suspected links to the PLFI were arrested.
The increasing incidents of explosions have raised a question on city administration and safety.