R B Jagadish
Daijiworld Media Network - Karkala
Karkala, Apr 28: In a major breakthrough, the Karkala police have arrested Biju Thomas, the prime accused in connection to the confiscation of large amounts of explosives in the taluk a month ago.
Biju Thomas was arrested in Gurgaon of Haryana state late night on Sunday April 27.
Speaking to daijiworld, Karkala ASP Annamalai confirmed the arrest and said that Biju would be brought to Karkala on Tuesday April 29.
The Karkala police in a series of raids across the taluk in the last week of March had seized a large cache of explosive materials including ammonium nitrate worth several crores of rupees. The explosives were illegally stocked at Durg, Tellar, Nakre, near Koti Chennaya Theme Park, Kuntady, Ashok Nagar, Kalya, Hebri and other places.
The prime accused Biju Thomas had been absconding ever since the first raid on March 25 at Biju's rubber plantation at Nakre. It was suspected that the explosive materials were being used not only in quarries but other unlawful activities as well. The police had then sought the help of National Investigating Agency (NIA).
In 2007, a large cache of explosives was found at Ajekar and Biju had been arrested. In 2011, the Kerala police had come to Karkala and with the cooperation of Karkala police arrested Biju and took him to Kerala. However, he was released in a few days.