The Hindu : Front Page : Seven held in weapons seizure case

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Saturday, Sep 16, 2006
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Seven held in weapons seizure case

K.T. Sangameswaran

Two others belonging to a naxalite group still at large: Director-General of Police

— PHOTO: K. PICHUMANI

SHUTTERS DOWN: A policeman stands guard before a sealed weapon components manufacturing unit at Padi on Friday.

CHENNAI: Seven persons were arrested early on Friday in the case relating to seizure of empty rocket shells and launchers in Andhra Pradesh on September 8.

This included the agent of a lorry transport company that moved the arms consignment. However, two persons, Raghu, who booked the consignments in the name of Srinivas Reddy, and his wife Sudharani of Nellore, both belonging to a naxalite group in Andhra Pradesh, evaded arrest.

Police investigation revealed that the manufacture of components for assembling rockets and launchers had been going on for nearly three years. Nearly 700 to 1,000 components had been manufactured.

Tamil Nadu Director-General of Police D. Mukherjee said parts of the rockets and launchers were manufactured at lathe workshops and foundries — Everest Engineering Company, Universal Casts and Bharath Fine Engineering, all located at Padi, Jai Tech Engineering Company and Shanthi Engineering Company, Korattur, and Arun Engineering Company and Dhanalakshmi Foundry, Mogappair.

He gave the names of the arrested as Sivaji, Kumar, Ramesh, Arunachalam, Muthusamy, and Annamalai, all owners of the companies and Veerabadra Rao, agent of Kranti Transport, Mannurpet, which transported the consignments.

Raghu was running Bharath Fine Engineering. Following the detection, the companies were sealed.

Investigation revealed that Raghu came to Ambattur in 2002 and gained the confidence of the accused by giving them "small manufacturing orders." Thereafter, with their cooperation, he manufactured rocket components from 2003 to May 11 this year. Later, he sent them to Andhra Pradesh. Raghu also supplied drawings and maps for manufacturing them. The couple were staying in a house at Ayapakkam, near Ambattur. On September 9, they escaped on a motorcycle with a carry bag, abandoning the house and workshop.

A search of the workshops and residential premises of the accused provided vital clues. A police party was sent to Nellore.

Asked whether those arrested knew that the components were meant for rockets, the DGP said right now the police inferred they had the knowledge.

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