9,550 Kg Ammonium Nitrate, Carton Detonators Recovered In Rajasthan On Republic Day Eve; Man Arrested

Rajasthan Police have uncovered a massive stockpile of explosives in Nagaur district, leading to the arrest of a 58-year-old man.

The seizure, which includes thousands of kilograms of ammonium nitrate and detonators, has triggered concerns over illegal supply networks and potential larger threats, prompting investigators to widen the probe.

Police Recover 9,550 Kg Ammonium Nitrate From Nagaur House

The accused, identified as Suleman Khan, was arrested on Sunday after a special police team raided his residence in Thanvla area of Nagaur district. During the operation, police recovered 9,550 kg of ammonium nitrate stored in 187 cartons along with other explosive materials.

"Based on some internal inputs, a special team of Nagaur police conducted a raid at the accused, Suleman Khan's residence in Nagaur's Thanvla on Sunday and found a huge amount of explosives," Nagaur Superintendent of Police (SP) Mridul Kachhwa said.

According to officials, the explosives were concealed at Khan's agricultural field. Along with ammonium nitrate, police seized nine cartoon detonators, 15 bundles of blue wick wire, nine bundles of red wick wire, and other materials used for blasting purposes.

Accused Has Prior Explosives Act Cases

Police said Suleman Khan has a criminal history linked to illegal explosives.

"The accused Suleman Khan also has three cases lodged against him at Nagaur's Thanvla, Padukallan, and Alwar's Chaupasni. All three cases are under the Explosives Act," Kachhwa said.

Following his arrest, a fresh case has been registered against him under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Explosives Act, 1884. Officials confirmed that Khan has three previous criminal cases on record.

Possible Larger Plot Under Investigation

Investigators suspect the seized explosives were not meant solely for local use. While initial findings suggest the accused supplied explosives to mine owners, the sheer volume recovered has raised red flags.

"Prima facie, Suleman also used to supply explosives to mine owners. However, given the large amount seized, we suspect he might also be involved in some bigger plot. We may also contact central agencies for interrogating him," another senior police officer said.

Authorities noted that ammonium nitrate has been used in several major blast cases in the past, including an explosion near Delhi's Red Fort in November 2025.

Series of Recent Explosives Seizures Across Rajasthan

The Nagaur seizure comes amid a string of similar recoveries in the state. On December 2, police seized a pickup truck loaded with illegal explosives in Nathdwara Shrinathji. The haul was reportedly capable of causing destruction across a radius of nearly 10 kilometres.

During the search, officers recovered 83 packets of ICL Prime X explosive weighing 2.78 kg each, 109 cartons containing 981 cartridges, 100 TLHD truck line detonators, 93 detonators fitted with DT Fuse, and a safety fuse approximately 30 feet long.

A day later, police arrested two more individuals in Tonk district and recovered 150 kg of ammonium nitrate from their possession, further underlining the scale of illegal explosives movement in the region.

Credit: Oneindia