The Railway Protection Force (RPF) on Friday seized large quantities of explosives from a woman passenger travelling in a train from Chennai.
The explosives, including gelatin sticks and detonators, were seized during a search conducted by a special squad of the RPF led by Divisional Security Commissioner Jithin B Raj.
According to a senior RPF official, explosives including 117 gelatin sticks and 350 detonators were found hidden beneath the seat of Ramani, a native of Tiruvannamalai, travelling from Chennai to Thalassery in Kannur district by the Chennai-Mangaluru superfast train.
According to local media reports, the woman had initially denied knowledge about the bag, but later admitted she was going to Thalassery and was carrying the explosives to be used during the digging of wells.
The police and the RPF, however, have decided to question and probe the case in detail. The intelligence wing of the Kerala Police has also joined the probe.
The development also comes at a time when the state is gearing up for assembly elections, in a couple of months.
In view of the forthcoming elections to the state Assembly, the RPF has intensified searches in trains recently.
Though such explosives are generally used digging wells and blast rocks, they can also be used to make country-made bombs.??
On Thursday,?an SUV filled with at least 20 gelatin sticks was found abandoned outside Antilia, the lavish multi-storied home of billionaire industrialist Mukesh Ambani in Mumbai.
"A Scorpio vehicle with 20 gelatin sticks was found near Mukesh Ambani's Mumbai residence. The Crime Branch of the Mumbai Police is investigating the entire matter and the truth will emerge soon," Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said late on Thursday evening.