Explosive substances, including gelatin sticks and detonators, have been recovered from a forest area in Kerala’s Kollam district, official sources said on Tuesday, June 14. A raid was conducted at the location by state Forest Department officials on Monday, which led to the recovery of two gelatin sticks, four detonators, batteries, some wires and adhesive substances. The searches were carried out by the department in the cashew plantations that are under the jurisdiction of the Kerala Forest Development Corporation at Pathanapuram in the district.

Security and intelligence agencies had inputs that Popular Front of India (PFI), which was founded in the state and has its headquarters in Delhi, was allegedly "operating" some clandestine training camps in Pathanapuram and the explosives are part of the logistics of the camp. The probe agencies have launched an investigation into the recoveries of the explosive cache, they said.

"The explosive materials were recovered by the Forest officials who immediately alerted the local police. Soon a team of police officials reached the spot. The items recovered have now been sent for scientific examination and results are awaited," an official told IANS. Among those probing the incident are the local police, intelligence, Anti-Terror Squad and the national probe agencies.

Two months ago, the Q branch Police of Tamil Nadu was in the area, based on information gathered from a person hailing from Tamil Nadu who was arrested from Uttar Pradesh. The probe agencies are now awaiting the scientific reports of the explosive materials. South zone range Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Sanjay Kumar Gurudin, who visited the spot on Tuesday, said, "We are looking into all possibilities behind such an incident. If an explosive like gelatin was found, there is a normal standard operating procedure of investigation and that is what is happening now.”

The PFI is also being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on charges of money laundering and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) under various sections of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).

(With inputs from agencies)

Watch visuals from the spot where explosives were found: