Ammonium nitrate dealers asked to maintain register of buyers

Keeping in view the widespread use of ammonium nitrate by terrorists to make deadly explosives, Delhi Police has asked dealers of the chemical substance to maintain a register of buyers besides getting themselves registered with the force.

Keeping in view the widespread use of ammonium nitrate by terrorists to make deadly explosives, Delhi Police has asked dealers of the chemical substance to maintain a register of buyers besides getting themselves registered with the force.

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The Licensing Branch of Delhi Police is starting a month-long drive from April 1 to make sure that dealers get themselves registered with it. The drive will be undertaken to ensure that the compound is not being sold to “criminal and terrorist elements”.

“We have found that ammonium nitrate which is available cheaply has been used by terrorists in blasts. We have to plug this and so we are regulating the trade,” a police official said.

Not getting the registration done could land the dealer in jail for a term which extends up to life imprisonment, the official said.

The police also said the dealers will have to maintain a register of the buyers of the substance.

Ammonium nitrate, a key component for manufacturing deadly RDX explosive, was used in terror attacks in Uttar Pradesh courts in November 2007 and subsequent bombings in Jaipur, Bangalore, Ahmedabad and Delhi.

Though not a high-quality explosive, it can be used as a low-cost high-impact bomb by intelligent use of shrapnel, packing and proper fuel mix like diesel.