HUGE HAUL: Rocket launchers and empty shells that were seized from a transport company in Mahabubnagar, Andhra Pradesh. — Photo: K. Ramesh Babu

MAHABUBNAGAR : In a major haul of weaponry meant for Maoists, the Andhra Pradesh police recovered 42 rocket launchers, about 1,000 empty rocket shells and 35 improvised landmines in buckets in Mahabubnagar and Prakasam districts.

Director-General of Police Swaranjit Sen told presspersons that the rocket launchers, seized during raids on godowns of transport companies in the districts, were of superior quality.

On the recovery of empty rocket shells, he said: "This is perhaps the single largest number of such shells recovered in the country."

The Maoists apparently intended to use the weapons on police stations and vehicles carrying VIPs, he said.

The arms included two tonnes of spares to rig 16 rocket launchers and 600 shells, high-tensile springs used to propel explosives from shells, fins that could be attached to shells, 500 live .303 rounds, detonators, wire, an electronic weighing scale and two digital thermometers. They were all hidden in gunny bags.

A person picked up by police from a bus stand at Achampet said he came to take possession of some gunny bags from Kranthi Transports and deliver them to the CPI (Maoist) district committee secretary Sudhakar.

The police raided the company godown and seized the weaponry. A similar operation was carried out in Prakasam district.

Investigations confirmed that the arms were moved from Tamil Nadu to Vijayawada and from there they could have been transported to Mahabubnagar and Prakasam, Mr. Sen said.

Police also raided many transport godowns in the State.

Kranthi Transports said it had no knowledge about the nature of consignments booked by its customers.

In Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh Home Minister K. Jana Reddy described the recovery "a fitting reply" to those who said the State Government had failed on the law and order front.

He said the raids were conducted following a tip-off from Ahmedabad.

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