Over 100 boxes of explosives seized from pick-up van in Kerala's Palakkad
Palakkad (Kerala) (PTI): A pick-up van carrying more than 100 boxes of explosives have been seized near Palakkad town area here, police said.
An officer of the Palakkad Town South police station said they found over 100 boxes of gelatin sticks and more than 20 boxes of detonators in the vehicle.
The boxes were hidden under a consignment of watermelons, he said, adding that the seizure occurred late on Wednesday
The officer further said that the driver of the vehicle was taken into custody. During preliminary interrogation, the driver revealed that he had loaded the boxes from Coimbatore and was taking them to a quarry in Thrissur, he said.
Police intercepted the pick-up van during an inspection of vehicles after receiving information that large quantities of explosives were being illegally brought into the state, the officer said.
"The driver did not stop the vehicle when the police asked him to. Thereafter, the vehicle was chased down," he said.
The police officer said that a case under the Explosive Substances Act will be registered against the driver after the seizure of the boxes is completed.
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West Bengal: EC orders suspension of joint BDO ahead of polls
Kolkata (PTI): The Election Commission on Friday ordered the immediate suspension of a joint block development officer (BDO) in poll-bound West Bengal and directed the initiation of disciplinary proceedings against her.
The poll body, however, did not mention the grounds for the action.
In a letter to the chief secretary of West Bengal, the poll panel said the action against Jyotsna Khatun, the joint BDO of Purba Bardhaman district's Khandaghosh, is based on a recommendation from the chief electoral officer of the state.
"The commission has agreed to the proposal and directs that Jyotsna Khatun be suspended and disciplinary action be initiated against her immediately," the EC stated in its letter to the West Bengal chief secretary.
Khatun had been notified as the Assistant Returning Officer (ARO) for the 259-Khandaghosh Assembly Constituency.
The poll panel has asked authorities to implement the order "with immediate effect" and submit a compliance report by 11 am of Saturday.
The letter also instructed the authorities to urgently propose a replacement for the vacant post.
